Family Herbal - Electric Scotland

FAMILY HERBAL. 153
burnt for its fixed salt, which is used in making
glass.
Goat's Beard. Tragopogon.
A common wild plant, distinguished in our
meadows by its narrow and fresh green leaves, and
the long leaves of the cup, about its yellow flowers.
It grows (o a foot and a half in height. The leaves
are very narrow ; they are broadest at the base,
and smaller all the way to the point. The stalk is
and towards the
round, thick,
top divided
firm, very upright,
into two or three branches. The
flowers stand at the extremities of the stalks; they
are of a beautiful pale yellow, very large and surrounded
by a cup, composed of long and narrow
green leaves, which, for the greatest part
of the
day, are closed over it, so that it seems only in bud.
The seeds arc winged with a fine white down, in
the manner of those of dandelion, and, when ripe,
they stand upon the tops of the branches, in a
round head, in the same manner. The root is long
and white ; and the whole plant is full of a milky
juice, which, after it has been a little time ex-
posed to the air, becomes yellow, end thick like
cream.
The root is used. It is so pleasant in taste, that
it may Ik 1 eaten in the manner of carrots, and other
roots at table, but it exceeds them all in its qualities.
It is an excellent restorative, and will do great
service to people after long illness : the best way
of giving it for this purpose, is to boil it first in
water, and then, cutting it to pieces, boil it again
in milk, which is to be rendered palatable in the.
usual way ;
it becomes thus a must excellent medi-
cine in the form of food.
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