Chap, 2 26, Englifi) Herbs. 
\° 9 . 
much like ro the former Narrow-leav'd in its Form 
and Manner of Growing ; and it loofes its Leaves in 
the Winter, as that other does, renewing them a- 
gain in the Spring. 
VI. The fourth , or Lelfer upright narrow-leav'd 
American Dogs-bane, has a thick Root, but it creeps 
not in the Ground, as the Greater American doth ; 
but from many long Fibres, it Jhoots forth a round 
brown Stalk, about half a yard high , having at each 
Joint a pair of long narrow heaves, and fuch a large 
Tuft of Flowers at the top, as the following has, but 
of a deeper purple color, which have a certain Clamr 
minefs on them, which will detain Flies or other 
light things which happen to fall thereon. After 
which come long and lirait Cods, ( not crooked, like 
tit t Greater fort following) with flat brown Seed 
therein, lying in a white kind of Down, like unto 
Afclepias or Swallow-wort. This being broken,yields 
a milky Sap or Juice, like the other. 
VII. The fifth, or Greater upright broad-lea v’d 
American Dogs-bane, called Virginia Silk, has a 
Root which is long and white, of the thicknefs of a 
Man's Thumbs running under Ground very far, and 
footing up again in divers places, the Heads being 
fet full of [mall white Knobs or Knots, fending forth 
many Branches, if it Jiands any long time in a place. 
From this Root rifes up one Stalk , and fometimes 
more, being ft rang and round, and three or four feet 
high, on which are fet , at the feveral Joints there- 
of, two fair, long and broad Leaves, round-pointed, 
with many Veins therein, growing clofe to the Stem 
without any Foot-ftalk. At the tops of the Stalks’ 
and fometimes at the Joints with the Leaves, grows 
forth a great Bufh of Flowers, out of a thin Skin, 
to the number of twenty, and fometimes of thirty 
or forty, every one with a long Foot-ftalk, hanging 
down their Heads for the molt part, elpecially thofe 
which are outwardmoft, every one Handing within 
a Husk of green Leaves, turned to the Stalkkward, 
like to the Lyfimachia 01 hooftrife Flower of Virgi- 
nia, and each of them confifting of five ftnall Leaves 
apiece, of a pale purplilh color on the upper fide, 
and of a pale yellowilh purple underneath ; both 
fides of each Leaf being as it were folded together, 
making them feem hollow and pointed, with a few 
fhort Chives in the middle. After the Flowers are 
paft, long and crooked Cods, pointed, and Handing 
upright, fucceed, in which ate contained flat brown- 
KhSeed, difperfedly lying within a great deal of 
fine, foft and whitifh brown Silk, very like unto the 
Cods, Seed and Silk of Afclepias or Swallow-Wort but 
that the Cods ate greater, and more crooked, ’and 
harder alfo in the outward Shell. The Whole Plant 
as well Leaves as Stalks, being broken, will yield 
a pale kind of Milk or Juice. 
and therefore they are not to be given to Mankind. 
The three firft are faid to exceed in Malignity both 
iVoolf s-bane and Oleander or Rife-Bay : but as molt 
Poyfons have their Antidotes, as tliat of Thora is 
Anthora, that of Pardalianches is Herba Paris-, fo 
the Antidote to this Apocynum is Afclepias or Swal- 
low-wort . Some may objefl it as a Fault to me, 
that 1 have put into my Herbal fuch poylonons 
Plants as this is ; but to fuch I anfwer, That the 
more poyfonous they are, the more neceffary to be 
known, that People may take notice of them, and 
beware of ufing them ; yet thefe Poyfons are not 
without their Virtues alfo ; tor tho’ they are not 
fit to be given inwardly, yet fometimes they may be 
applied outwardly to advantage. As to the afore- 
going Plants, all Authors have concluded the firft 
three under the Chara&er of being Deleterious or 
Deadly : as for the other tvVo, nothing is yet known 
of them by Experience ; yet by their milky Juice, 
which is burning, fiery and exulcerating, they may 
almoft be concluded in the fame Claffis ; for which 
Reafon I fhould defire every one to be cautious in 
their life. 
XI. The milky Juice of any of the three firft 
Plants, is very hot and burning, and being outward- 
ly applied, it is good againft Tettars, Ringworms, 
Scurf!, Morphew, Leprofy ; and to fetch Hair off 
from Hides, if they be fteeped in it. Even in the 
outward Application it is to be ufed with Cau- 
tion. 
XII. A Cataplafm hiade of the heaves of either of 
the American kinds, by being beaten either crude or 
boiled in Water, and fo applied, it is faid to be 
good for Tumors and Pains proceeding from a cold 
Caufe. 
XIII. Gerard fays, that the Cods of thelaft, or 
Greater upright broad-leav'd American Plant' are 
fluffed full with a mod pure Silk, of a (tuning 
white color : The Cods (fays he) are not only full 
of Silk, but every Nerve or Sinew, wherewith the 
Leaves are ribbed, ate likewife molt pure Silk ; as 
alfo are the Peelings or Bark of the Stems or 
Branches, like as is the Peeling or Bark of Flax or 
Hemp, Cordage for making Linnen. But the Indi- 
ans have not the Underftanding in them to make ufe 
;of it, fo as to cover their Nakednefs, notwithftand- 
ing (fays he) the Eaith is coveted over with this 
Silk. This they daily tread under their Ftet, which 
would be fufficient to Cloath many Kingdoms, if 
it was carefully Cherifhed and Manured. 
XIV. This lalt Plant Parkinfon tells us he raifed 
up in England, from Seed which was fent to him 
from Virginia ; but he fays there is another Plant 
growing' in Virginia, called Silk-Grafs, which is ve- 
ry much differing from this. 
VIII. The Places. The firft and third grow in 
Italy , Apulia and Calabria in the Kingdom of N41- 
ples. The fecond grows in Syria and the Eafiern 
Countries, as alfo in Italy, as Mattbiolus reports ; 
but with us they grow in Gardens. The two laft 
came from our Englifh Plantations in America. The 
laft, Parkinfon fays, came to him from Virginia, 
where it grows abundantly ; he raifed it from the 
Seed which he had from thence. 
IX. The Times. The three (lift flower late in the 
Year, if they flower at all with us, viz. about the 
end of Auguft , and to the middle of September. 
The two latter flower in July and Auguft ; and their 
Seed is ripe in Auguft and September following. 
X. The Qualities. Thefe Plants ate hot and dry 
in the fourth Degree, kthmiecol, Venefick or Poyfo- 
nous ; they ate fo great Poyfons, as to kill Dogs, 
the which they will do, if the Herb is mixed with 
their Bread, Broth or Meat, and fo given them ; 
CHAP. CCXXV1. 
Of DOG S-S TONE S, 
I- I 'HE Names. This Plant is called in Greek . 
X Suyorigtf : in Arabic Chaji dikes, and Qhafi 
alchels : in Latin , Cynof orchis^ and Tefticu/us velLe- 
jiiculi Canis .• in Englijh , Dogs-Jhmes. 
II. The Kinds. This Plant is of the kinds! of 
Orchis $ flow, how manifold the chief and principal 
Species or Kinds of Orchis are, we think neceffary 
to declare here, that things may be fet in a true and 
clear Light. Orchides then are divided into nine 
principal kinds, viz. into, i. Cy no/orchis , Dcg>- 
ffones, 
