POMKCUAXATE. 3 [3 



in the year 1548, during the reign of Henry the Eighth; 

 and we find it mentioned among the trees that fruited in 

 the orange-house of the unfortunate Charles the First. 



It blossoms well in the warmer counties of England ,- 

 but the fruit seldom comes to perfection in the open air. 

 , The kind generally planted for ornament is the double 

 scarlet, which is very beautiful when in blossom. 



Gerard writes on the medicinal qualities of this tree y 

 and informs us, that he reared several plants from- the 

 seeds previous to 1597. 



The pomegranate has been planted in the West India 

 islands, where the fruit grows larger and finer-flavoured 

 than in Europe. The French, in the island of St. Vincent, 

 had a riddle on the pomegranate, on account of the re- 

 semblance which the calix bears to a crown. 



" Quelle est la reine, qui porte tout son royaume dans 

 son sein V 



Lord Bacon notices this fruit, and recommends the use- 

 of the wine of the sweet pomegranates for complaints of 

 the liver, or, if that cannot be had, the juice of them 

 newly expressed. He says, "let it be taken in the morn- 

 ing, with a little sugar; and into the glass into which the 

 expression is made, put a small piece of green citron-peel, 

 and three or four whole cloves : let this be taken from 

 February till the end of March." The juice of the pome- 

 granate is preferred even to that of oranges in cases of 

 fever. The rind of the fruit and the flowers are the parts 

 directed for medicinal uses : they are both powerful astrin- 

 gents, and have long been successfully employed as such, 

 both internally and externally for gargles, and in diar- 

 rhoeas, &c. The dose in substance is from half a dram 

 to a dram; in infusion or decoction, to half an ounce. 

 (Woodville.) 



As an astringent, the rind of the fruit, boiled in water 

 with cinnamon, port wine and guada jelly to be added, is 

 recommended in Dancer's Medical Assistant. 





