
Lea. VI. of Tafts 
have the fame Taste, as the Root of Contrayerva: and may therefore be 
ufed for the fame purpofe, with a probability of the like fuccef5 if 
not abetter, becaufe they: may be gotten frefher. But by drying the 
Root, the Taf? and Virtue, which lie in its exhalible parts, are much 
loft. «The Seeds of the lefler Cardamom, and of Zedoary Root, if found, 
have both a {match of the Taf? of Camphire. They may therefore all, 
fo far, reach the fame Cafe. 
3. §. Again, as we may make no ill conjecture from the famenefs of 
_ Tafte in Plants of feveral Tribes; fo from the diverfity of Tafte,in thofe 
ofthefame. So the Flowers of all the Docks are evidently Aftringent, 
and not Sower ; except thofe of the Rha-pontick, which are extream 
fower, even in the 5th degree. Which isno mean Sigvature of fome 
more than ordinary Vértwe in it, befides what it hath in common with 
the reft of the Tribe. The Flowers of Pancy have a kind of fulfome 
Taft, plainly different from that of Violets : and in fome Hypochondri- 
acal Gafés may be more ufeful. 
4. §. It likewife importeth much, to obferve the difference of Ta/te 
in the feveral Parts of the fame Plant. So the Barque of Saffafias is three 
times as ftrong, as the Wood: and the like may be obferved in any 
other commonly known Tree. If therefore we could obtein the Barques 
of Santalum, Lignnm Rhodium, Lignunt Aloes, &c. they would doubt- 
lef, moft of them, be of much greater ufe. And as the Ta/fe is fome- 
times ftronger 3 fo, much more grateful, in one Part than in another : 
asin the Flowers or YeLow Attire in the Heads of Carduws Benedittus 5 
which being infufed in spirit of Wine, or other convenient Liquor, 
make a pleafant Cordial. Nature having laped up the Vertwe in the 
Leavs, asin a brown Paper; but inthe Flowers, as in Leaf-Gold. 
5. §. Asalfo, how far the Tale of any Plant may alter, either in 
preferving, or preparing it. So the Root of Arum, when taken frefh 
out of the ground, is notably Pungent : but being throughly dryed, 
and efpecially kept for fome time, hath no more Ta/fe, and therefore 
in all likelyhood, no more Virtue, than a Lump of Starch, The like 
we are to judge of all other Plants, whofe Virtue lieth in their exhali- 
ble Parts. The Stillatitions Oyls of many Plants, are ftronger than the 
Leavs or other Parts from whence they are drawn: but fome there 
are, which are weaker 3 as is that of Ezphorbinm, in which the Heat is 
neither pertinaceous, as in the Guz it felf, nor fo great. 
6. §. Wemay make, moreover, a jugdment from the Nature of 
the Taff. So thofe Roots which are Bitter, and not Hot, as of Cichory, 
and the reft of the Ivtybows kind, may be accounted Nitro-sulphureous 5 
and fo, to be Abjterfive without any Heating Quality. The Marum 
Auftriacum, which is extream Purgent, aswell as Aromatich, may be 
looked upon as the beft Cephalick of that Tribe. Becaufe we find, 
that Falap hath a {pecial property of imitating the Glasdulous Parts 
of the Moxth, and Throat; we may gather, That it is a better 
Purge to all the other Glawdulows Parts, than moft other Catharticks. 
Which is alfo one reafon of its operation, for the moft part, withat 
leaft a tendency to vomit 5 the Stomach it felf being Glandulous as, well 
as the Throat, and thereby an{werably affected with it, A ftrong Infit- 
fion of white Sarzaparilla in Water, botled up , and kept in a Ce//ar for 
‘the {pace of two months, becomes extream fower; far beyond any 
thing obferved in the Tafts of the Fuyces and Infulions of divers other 
Uu 2 Plants 













































