Family Herbal - Electric Scotland

FAMILY HERBAL. 47
together in a kind of thick short spike,
so that in
ihe cluster they make a conspicuous appearance;
they are white with a very taint tinge of purple,
and are hairy within ; the root is whitish,, long",
and thick.
The leaves of buck-bean arc to he gathered
before the stalks appear for (lowering-, and are
to he dried ; the powder of them will cure agues,
hut their great use is against the rheumatism:
for this purpose they are to be given for a continuance
of time in infusion, or iu the manner of
tea.
Buckthorn. Spina ccrzinz.
A PRICKLY shrub, common in our hedges,'
with pale green leaves, and black berries. It
grows to eight or ten feet high. The bark is
dark coloured and glossy, and the twigs are tough.
The leaves are oval, of a very regular and pretty
figure, and elegantly dented round the edges.
The ilowers are little, and inconsiderable ; they
are of a greenish yellow, and grow in little clus-
ters. The berries, which are ripe in September,
are round, glossy,
pepper-corns, and
seeds.
black, as big as the largest
contain each three or four
The juice of the berries, boiled up with sugar,
makes a good purge ; but it is apt to
gripe, unless
some spice be added in the : making It is a
rough purge, but a very good one.
Buckshoun Plantain. Corcrwpiis,'
A VERY pretty little plant, which grows irs
our sandy and barren places, with the leave.'?
spread ont in scanner of a star, all the way rom:d