Family Herbal - Electric Scotland

z. INTRODUCTION.
as Useful for families,, as the nature of such an
one will admit.
Among the fruits of used fresh, as the
plants, several
hip for conserve,
are to be
and the
quince, mulberry, and black currant ; from the
juices of which, syrups
are made. As to those
which are to be dried, as the juniper berries, the
bay berries, and the like, they are only to be gathered
when just ripening, not when quite mel-
low, and spread upon a table or floor, often
turning them till they are dry. But of these
we use very few of our own growth ; most of the
fruits used in medicine are brought from abroad,
and must be purchased of the druggist or apothe-
cary.
With respect to the seeds and plants, it is
otherwise : many of them are of our own growth,
and nothing is so easy as to preserve them. These
are all to be used dry ; but nature has in a manner
dried them to our hands : for they are not
to be gathered till perfectly ripe, and then they
need very little farther care. They are only to
be spread for three or four days upon a clean floor,
where the air has free passage, but where the sun
does not come ; and they are then ready to be
put up.
The seeds used in medicine may
be referred
to three general kinds. They either grow in
naked neads or umbels, as in fennel, parsley, and
the like ; or in pods, as in mustard and crosses ;
or in large fleshy fruits, as in melon and cucumbers.
In each case they must be left upon
the plant till perfectly ripe ; then they are only
to be shook from the heads upon the floor, or if
in pods, a smart stroke or two of the plant upon
the floor, when they are thoroughly ripe, will