















14 

eAn Idea of a 

Leaves of Tamarisks which being licked while they grow, or when 
immediately gathered, are plainly saltifh. How they vary with the 
Age ofthe Plant, or Part as the Roots of Radifhes, growing up to 
Seed, lofe the ftrength oftheir Ta?5 fo moft Fruits are firtt Sowre, - 
then Sweet. What proper to the feveral Parts ofany one Plant; fo 
the Leawes of Wormwood are extraordinary Bjtter ; the Root {Carcely 
fo at all; of an Hot, but quite different Ta/fe. What more Common,or 
Rare, to any Part 5 fo no Root that I ever tafted, isSowre. And how 
they Alternate in feveral Plants; asthe Root of Stock: Fuly-flower is 
biting, not the Leaves ; onthe contrary, the Leaves of the Water- 
Arfmart, are Biting; but not the Roots and the like. To which we 
may add the difference of Time wherein the Taffes of Plants are per- 
ceived 3 asthofe of Arum, and Rape-Crowfoot, are both Biting ; but 
that of the firft, as it is {lowly perceived, fo it continues long 5 that of 
the other, quickly comes, and quickly goes. 
30. §. Amongft the other Adjunds of the Contained Parts, though 
not of thefe only, the Faculties of Vegetables are to be reputed. For 
fo the Rofiz of Falap, whichis Purgative, is as truly contained in the 
Organical Parts of that Root, as Blood is in Veins : ” It will be requi- 
fite therefore to make particular obfervation of the alfo. And firft, 
what Faculties chiefly may refide in Plants, above others: fo there ic 
none of known ufe in Salivation, except by holding in the mouth: 
Although we may ask, Why fome amongft them, may not (being Ta- 
ken inwardly) have a power to evacuate by This,as well as other Vio- 
lent ways? Where the Faculty is more univerfally fpread over all the 
Parts of a Vegetable, asinAfarum, Where belonging chiefly or wholly 
to any particular Parts or Part; as chiefly to the Root of Rhubarb; 
and only to the true and proper Seed of Barbado Nuts. Whether fome 
Faculties, may be proper to fome Parts efpecially. What conjunétion 
they may have with any {enfible Qualities. So, many Purgers, arenot 
only Refinous and Gummous , But alfo Mucilaginous 5 as Bryony, wild 
Cucumer, Lapathum Satioums and therefore probably Rhwbarb, when 
growing; Malows, Violets, Gc. Such as are Purging and Vomitory, 
though fome of them have a ftrong Taffe, yet the greater part, and of 
thofe, many of the ftronger fort, have no Tz é, or not Great; as 
Senna, Falap, Scammony, Hellebore, Afarum, and others, Amongft 
which, although Flel/ebore hath avery Durable Tafte, yet is it not ve- 
ry High or Great. So alfo, thofe that are moft fenfibly tafted, are, I 
think, for the moft part, more or lef Bitter; either fimply, as Colo- 
cynthis; or Bitter and Aftringent, as Rhubarb 5 or Bitter and Sweet, as 
Aloe, or Bitter, Aftringent, and Sweet, as Agarick, Few are Hot, as 
Iris. Or fimply Sweet. And though fome may be Subacid, that are 
Mollifying or Lenitive, yetno propér Purge er Vomit is Sowre. Such 
Plants asare ofa foft and fweetith Lafte, without Vifcofity, may beac- 
counted good Avtifcorbuticks, efpecially again{t the Sea, or other Swlf- 
Scurveys as are good fweet Peafe: And fometimes the Water or Spi- 
rit_ of the Shells ; which may eafily be drawn from them, being firft 
duly fermented, and hath a true Vizous Tafte ; but very mild, and not 
unpleafant. Thefe Plants, whofe Parts are not only Hot but Volatile, 
as Onions, are generally good for Burys. Such as have a Balfamick. 
Tafte or smell, with a little Aftringency, as Hypericum, Golden-Rod, 
Lamium Lutenm,&e. the bett Wound-Herbs. And fach as are gently 
Bitter, 

