Chap. 147. ‘English Herbs. 20 j 
Wild Herbs are more potent or ftronger in their 
Operations, fo alfo this ; for which reafon it di- 
gefts and cleanfes more powerfully than the others 
do. _ 
VIII. Note 2. The young Leaves boiled in Lye 
of Pot-Afhes, ( as Diofcorides fays, ) or in Fair Wa- 
ter ( as is moil ufuai in our times ) are eaten as 
other Coleworts are, by ieveral poor People near 
the Sea, the boiling taking away much of the bit- 
ternefs thereof. 
IX. Note 3. The young Leaves, or their Juice, 
applied to Sores or Ulcers, cleanfes and heals them, 
dilfolves Tumors, or Swellings, and takes away In- 
flammations. 
CHAP. CXLVII. 
Of C O L T S-F O O T. 
I. H E Nantes. It is called in Greek , alfo 
J- XcipaiMVKti ■ In Latin JTujfilago -, but by the A- 
pothecaries, Farfara , and XJngula Caballina , of fome 
Populago , ( from its likenefs to the Vopzlar Leaves -, ) 
Farranum , and Earrugium Plinij of divers Tala 
Equina , alfo Be chi urn, Chamdeuce , ( from the Poplar 
Tree , called in Greek , Nwm h ) In Englifl '), Colts-foot , 
Pole-foot , and Horfe hoof : Gerard fays, it may very 
well be called Cough Wort . 
II. The Kinds. Camerarius makes three forts of 
Bechium , or Tujfilago , viz. 1 . The True , which we 
intend in this Chapter. 2. The Petafites , of which 
we have treated before in Cap. 100. and the Caltha 
Palujiris , or Mar fit Marigold , which he calls Tuf- 
filago major , but is indeed no Colts-foot , and of 
which we fhall treat in Cap. . folowing. The 
true Coltsfoot is either European or American , the 
Defcriptions of both which we defign here. The 
American is called Calcalia Americana . 
III. The Defcriptions. The Englilh, or European 
Kind , has a Root Jmall and white , fprcading very 
much in the ground, fo that where it once takes, the 
ground is very difficultly, c/eanfed from it again •, for 
if any little piece or bit of it remains therein, it will 
from it fpring forth afrefh. From th'd Root J. lender 
naked Stalks fhoot up very early in the beginning of 
March or April, about a fpan long, bearing at their 
tops fmall yellow Flowers, which quickly fade away, 
and after they are pa ft. Leaves broad and fomewhat 
roundifh come up, yet fometim.es a little dented about 
the edges, much leffer, thicker, and greener than 
thofe oj Butter Burr, with a little downy hoarinefs, 
over the upper fide of the green Leaf which may be 
rubbed away, and whitifh or mealy underneath the 
Leaf 
IV. The American has a Root which conffts of a 
Bufh of blackijh Threads or Fibres , ( which abide 
the hardnefs of the Winter, both the Stalks and 
Leaves perifhing yearly, ) but grow brownifh at the 
end : From this Root rife up many round Stalks 
about a foot and half high, and two broad , and fame-* 
what round, but pointed Leaves, a little dented about 
the edges, at each Joint of them the upper Leaves 
being fmaller, and little or nothing dented : at the 
tops of the Stalks come forth fever al Branches with 
many pure white Flowers, being but fmall, and made 
of five Leaves apiece , rifing out of each husk, which 
being paft, there fucceeds fmall long Seed, flicking 
each to a little Downc, which are carried away toge- 
ther with the Wind : The whole Plant has little or 
no Smell, neither Root, Leaf nor Flower, whatfoever 
Cornutus fays to the contrary. 
V. The Places. It, viz. the firft, ufually grows 
in wet grounds, as alfo in dryer places : It is found 
likewife near unto Springs, and on the brinks of 
Brooks and Rivers, m wet Furrows, by Ditch fides, 
and in Ditches, and in other moilt and watry places 
near unto the Sea, almoft every where.^ The latter 
grows in America, in many places of Canada, New 
