CUIPEPBR'S COMI»L»Tl HMBBAIk 277 



pening Mid dissolving, good for hard tiimoure and ewel 

 ling8,and is put into ointments and planters for that object. 



FOLYFODY. -^Po'ypodium Vuigare.) 



Deserip. — This is a perennial herb of the fern tribe, dis- 

 tinguishable by the seeds beine in roundish spots, distri- 

 buted OD the under surface of the leaf. The root is shag^ 

 ged with hairs, and of the thickness of one's little finger, 

 and, when broken, ia found to be green within; and to th« 

 taste at once austere and sweet. 



Plaee, — It is common amon<^ mossj stones, upon the 

 joints of old walla which are in the shade, and upon the 

 stumps of trees ; but the best sort grows upon the decay- 

 ed parts of old oak trees. 



Time, — It is in perfection in October and November. 



Oovemment and Virtties. — It is under Jupiter in Leo. 

 With laxatives it gently carries otf the contents of the 

 bowels without irritation. By itself it is a very mild and 

 useful purge : but being very slow, it is generally mixed 

 by infusion or decoction with other ingredients, or in broths 

 with beets, parsley, mallow, cummin, ginger, fennel and 

 anise. The oest form to take it for a complaint in the in- 

 testines, is as follows: To an ounce of the fresh root bruis- 

 ed, add an ounce and a half of the fresh roots of white 

 beets, and a handful of wild mallow ; pour upon these a 

 pint and a quarter of water, boiling hot, and let it stand 

 till next day, then strain it off. A quarter of a pint of this 

 liqnor contains the infusion of two drams of this root. It 

 ioould be sweetened with sugar-candy, or honey. 



POMEGBANATE-TREE.--(Pttntca Gh-ajiattm.) 



jyetcrip, — This is a shrubby plant, covered with a brown- 

 ish berk, and divided into a numl>er of branches, which 

 spieed in an irregular manner, and are armed with sharp- 

 ish spines, and have their upper end pretty thick set with 

 long narrow smooth leaves, two inches in length, to half 

 an inch in breadth ; among these come forth the flowers, 

 of a bright scarlet colour, consisting of five leaves set in a 

 tough brown calyx, which in time enlarging itself becomes 

 the nark or covering of the fruit, having a crown on its 

 upper part, in shape and size like an orange, but with a 

 broader and harder peel, in the inside of which grow a 

 greet number of cornered acini or kernels, compacted to- 

 gether in regular order containing each a sweet vinous 

 joiosb or one more acid, with a snudi stone in the middle. 



