The fir ft fort was formerly much more cultivated in 
the Englifti gardens than at prefent •, this has been 
generally ufed for the Monks Rhubarb, and has been 
thought the true, but others fuppofe the fecond fort 
Ihould be ufed as fuch ; the herb was formerly ufed 
in the kitchen, by the title of Patience. The root, is 
large, and divides into many thick fibres which run 
downward ; their outer cover is brown, but they are 
yellow within, with fome reddifh veins ; the leaves 
are broad, long, and acute-pointed ; their foot-ftalks 
are of a reddifh colour ; the ftalks rife from tour to 
fix feet high, and divide toward the too into feveral 
erect branches, which are garnifhed with a few nar- 
row leaves, terminating with fpikes of large ftamine- 
ous flowers. Thefe appear in June, and arefucceed- 
ed by pretty large three-cornered feeds whofe cover- 
ings are entire, which ripen in autumn. 
The fecond fort grows naturally on the Alps, but has 
been long cultivated in the Englifh gardens. This 
hath large roots, which fpread and multiply by their 
offsets ; they are fhorter and thicker than thofe of the 
firft fort, of a very dark brown on their outfide, and 
vellow within. The leaves are of the round heart- 
fhape, about nine inches long, and as much in breadth 
near their bafe, having pretty long foot-ftalks. The 
ftalks rife from two to three feet high ; they are very 
thick, and have a few frnall roundifh leaves on the, 
lower part, but the upper part clofely garnifhed with 
'fpikes of white flowers, ftanding eredt, clofe to the 
ftalks. Thefe appear the latter end of May, and are 
fucceeded by large triangular feeds, which ripen in 
Auguft. 
The third fort grows naturally in ponds, ditches, and 
ftanding waters, in many parts of England •, this is 
fuppofed to be the Britannica of the antients. It hath 
large roots which ftrike deep into the loofe mud, 
fending out leaves which are three feet long, and 
four inches broad in the middle, drawing to a point 
at each end. The ftalks rife four feet when growing 
in water, but in dry land not more than two; thele 
are garnifhed with narrow leaves among the fpikes of 
flowers, to the top. The flowers ftand upon (lender 
foot-ftalks which are reflexed ; they are of an herba- 
ceous colour, appear in June, and the feeds ripen in 
autumn. 
The fourth fort grows naturally in rnoift places in 
many places of England ; this is the Oxylapathum of 
the (hops, which is directed by the College to be 
ufed in medicine ; but the markets are fupplied with 
roots of the common Docks, which are indifferently 
gathered by thofe who collect them in the fields, 
"where the eighth fort is much more common than 
this. The roots of this fort are (lender and run down- 
right, fending out a few (mail fibres ; the ftalks rife 
about two feet high, which are garnifhed with leaves 
below, about four inches long, and one and a half 
broad in the middle ; they are rounded at their bafe, 
where they are (lightly indented, but end in acute 
points ; they are plain, and (lightly crenated on their 
edges. From the joints of the (talk come out alter- 
nately (lender long foot-ftalks, which fuftain the 
fpikes of flowers, which grow in frnall whorls round 
the ftalks, at about an inch diftance; thefe have fcarce 
any leaves upon the foot-ftalks between the whorls of 
flowers, fo may be eafily diftinguiftsed from the frnall 
Water Dock, which has many. This flowers in June, 
and the feeds ripen in autumn. 
The fifth fort is more commonly found growing na- 
turally about London than the fourth ; the leaves of 
this are much longer than thofe of the former, and 
are indented on their (ides, which are alfo waved ; the 
ftalks rife about the fame height as thofe of the for- 
mer. The fpikes of flowers from the fide are fhorter, 
and clofer garnifhed with flowers on pretty long foot- 
ftalks ; the covering of the feed is entire. . It flowers 
and feeds about the fame time with the former. 
The fixth fort is very like the fourth in appearance, 
but the leaves have deep blood-coloured veins, and 
fome frnall fpots of the fame on their furface ; the 
ftalks are red, and rife about the fame height as the 
fourth, but the covering of the feed is entire ; whereaS 
thofe of the fourth are indented, fo may be readily 
diftinguifhed. It grows naturally in many parts of 
' England. 
The feventh fort grows naturally in feveral parts of 
England ; this is a biennial plant, which perifhes foon 
after the feeds are ripe; the ftalks rife near two feet 
high ; they are of a deep purple colour, and are gar- 
niftied with fpear-fhaped leaves toward the bottom, 
which are four inches long, and almoft one broad in 
the middle, but thofe on the upper part of the ftalk 
are very narrow, and not more than two inches long; 
the fpikes of flowers come out from the fides of the 
ftalks alternately. The flowers grow in thick whorls 
which fit clofe to the ftalks ; thefe are of a bright 
yellow colour, and the covers of the feeds are fharply 
indented. 
The eighth fort is the moft common Dock by the 
fides of roads and banks in every part of England ; 
the leaves of this fort are broad and rounded at .their 
points, though fome of them end more acutely than 
others ; they are near a foot long, and five inches 
broad toward their bafe, having many tranfverfe veins 
running from the midrib to their borders. The ftalks 
rife from two to three feet high, branching out on 
their fides, having a few leaves on their lower part of 
the fame fhape with the other, but fmallen The 
flowers grow in whorls, fitting very clofe to the ftalks ; 
fome plants have indented coverings to their feeds, 
and others have entire coverings ; both thefe are fre- 
quently found intermixed, fo that I doubt of their 
being diftinbt fpecies. The leaves of this Dock were 
formerly much ufed for wrapping up of butter, and 
from thence the plant was called Butter Dock. 
The ninth fort grows naturally in many places near 
London ; this is a biennial plant, which perifhes foon 
after the feeds are ripe. The ftalks of this rife about 
a foot high, and branch out from the bottom ; the 
leaves grow near the root ; they are about two inches 
and a half long, and are hollowed on their fides, fo 
as to refemble the fides of a fiddle ; the fcalks are 2e- 
# O 
nerally bent at their joints. The flowers grow in 
whorls' round the ftalks, to which they (it very clofe ; 
they are hermaphrodite ; the covers of the feeds are 
fharply indented. 
The tenth fort is fometimes found growing naturally 
in England, upon places where the water has flood 
in winter. This feldom riles more than five or fix 
inches high, but divides into two or three branches; 
the leaves are about three inches long, and a quarter 
of an inch broad ; they are fmooth, and ftand upon 
fhort foot-ftalks. The flowers grow in whorls round 
the branches, to which they fit very clofe ; thefe are 
fucceeded by frnall triangular feeds, having indented 
covers. 
The eleventh fort came originally from Aleppo ; this 
is a biennial plant ; the leaves are nine or ten inches 
long, fmooth, and of a light green ; they are three 
inches broad at their bale, where they are indented, 
and end in acute points. The ftalks rife from two to 
three feet high, fending out many branches from their 
fides, which are garnifhed with large whorls of .her- 
baceous flowers, ftanding upon pretty long foot-ftalks; 
thefe are fucceeded by three-cornered feeds, whofe 
. coverings are deeply indented. 
The twelfth fort grows naturally in Egypt ; this is an 
annual plant ; the ftalk riles about ten inches high, 
fending out a few horizontal branches toward the bot- 
tom ; the leaves are about two inches long, and half 
an inch broad at the broadeft part. The flowers grow 
in whorls round the ftalks, they are very frnall, and 
the hair-like beards which adhere to the covering of the 
feed being long, obfcure the flowers, fo they are 
fcarce vifible to the naked eye. 
All thefe forts of Docks rife eafily from feeds, and if 
introduced into a garden, will become troublefome 
weeds, if their feeds are permitted to fcatter ; there- 
fore few perfons care to propagate any of them, except 
the two firft forts, which are cultivated for their ufe 
in medicine. The feeds of all the Docks fhould be 
fown 
