806 CULPBPaR*8 COMFLBTB HXKBAL. 



are somewhat divided into long branches, bearing a num* 

 ber of flowers, set round about a long spike one above ano- 

 ther, which are hollow and like a little bell, of a whitish 

 green colour, after which come small heads containing verj 

 small brownish seed, which falling on the ground, will 

 plentifully spring up before the winter, if it have moisture. 

 The root is round, and most usually smooth, greyish with- 

 out, and whitish within, having small fibres at the head of 

 the root, and bottom of the stalk. 



Place, — It grows plentifully on stone walls, rocks, and 

 in stony places upon the ground, at the bottom of old trees. 



Time. — It flowers in the beginning of May, the seed ri- 

 pens soon afterwards, but the plant dies in winter. 



Oovernment and Virtues. — Venus challenges the herb 

 under Libra. The juice or distilled water if drunk is good 

 to cool inflammations and unnatural heats, a hot stomach, 

 a hot liver, or the bowels ; the herb, juice, or distilled wa- 

 ter applied outwardly, heals pimples, St. Anthony's tire, 

 and other outward heats. It also helps sore kidneys, torn 

 by the stone, or exulcerated within : it provokes urine, is 

 available for dropsy, and helps to break the stone. Being 

 used as a bath, or made into ointment, it cools the painf id 

 piles or hemorrhoidal veins. It gives ease to hot gout, the 

 sciatica, and the inflammations and swellings in the testi- 

 cles ; it helps the kernels or knots in the throat, called the 

 kinfips evil ; the juice heals kibes and chilblains, if bathed 

 with it, or anointed with ointment made from it, and some 

 of the skin of the leaf upon them ; it is also used in green 

 wounds to stay the blood, and to heal them quickly. 



KNAPWEED (COMMON.)— <C?tfntottr« Scabiosa, 



JDetcrip. — It has broad dark green leaves, rising from 

 the root, dented at the edges, sometimes rent on botn sides 

 in two or three places, and somewhat hairy ; among 

 which rises a long round stalk, four or five feet high, divi- 

 ded into many branches, at the tops whereof stand great 

 scaly green heads, and from the middle of them thrust 

 forth a number of dark purplish red thrumbs or threads, 

 which after they are withered and past, there are found di- 

 vers black seeds, lying in a great deal of down, somewhat 

 like unto thistle-seed, but smaller ; the root is white, hard 

 and woody, with fibres, which perish not, but abide with 

 leaves thereon, during winter, shooting afresh in soring. 



PUtce, — It grows in moist places, ab^ut borders, nedge& 

 And waste grounds in meadows, almost every where. 



