xvi PLANTS IN RELATION TO MAN 327 



varieties of food, which may be of more importance to man 

 in the future than they are now, let us take first the 

 innumerable drugs which enable him to avoid some of the 

 evils brought upon himself by his ignorance, his dissipations, 

 or his wilful neglect. The pharmacopoeias of every country 

 and every age are crowded with the names of herbs and 

 simples used with more or less success as remedies for the 

 various diseases man was supposed to be heir to, and if 

 many of these were altogether imaginary, very large numbers 

 still hold their place as of real and often of inestimable 

 value. To name only a few of the best known, we could 

 hardly dispense with such common drugs as aloes, arnica, 

 belladonna, calendula, cascara, gentian, jalap, ipecacuanha, 

 nux vomica, opium, podophyllin, quinine, rhubarb, sarsaparilla, 

 and a host of others. 



To these we may add the various " balsams " so much 

 used in ancient surgery balm of Gilead, friar's balsam, 

 balsam of Peru, benzoin, camphor, etc. 



Then there are the ordinary resins and gums so useful 

 in the arts copal, dammar, mastic, kauri, gum-arabic, 

 tragacanth, asafcetida, gamboge, etc. 



Among the numerous dyes are arnotto, Brazil-wood, log- 

 wood, camwood, fustic, indigo, madder, turmeric, and woad. 



Vegetable oils, used for cooking, lighting, perfumes, 

 medicines, etc., are very numerous. Such are candle-nut, 

 castor oil, coco -nut oil, colza oil, olive oil, cotton -seed, 

 linseed, and rape-seed oils, cajeput oil, and innumerable 

 others in every part of the world, known or yet to be 

 discovered. 



Perfumes and spices are also extremely abundant, such 

 as caraways, cinnamon, cloves, mace, nutmegs, patchouli, 

 peppermint, orris-root, sandalwood, sassafras, tonquin- 

 beans, vanilla, and the many essential oils from highly 

 perfumed fruits and flowers. 



Of foods and drinks not used by the lower animals, are 

 arrowroot, tapioca, sago, sugar, wine, beer, tea, coffee, and 

 cocoa, the last six, when used in moderation, being among 

 the choicest gifts of nature. 



There remain a number of vegetable products invaluable 

 for arts and manufactures cotton and flax for clothing 



