Family Herbal - Electric Scotland

FAMILY HERBAL. 351
E:rong, a little hairy, and often purplish. The
leaves grow two at each joint ; they are oblong, nar-
row, notched at the edg-es, of a dusky green, and of
a wrinkled and rough surface. The flowers are white,
with a tinge of purplish : there is a long spike of
their buds, and of the remaining cups, but only two
or three flowers are open at a time.
The fresh gathered tops are used ; an infusion
of them is good against obstructions of the liver and
spleen : it is warm upon the stomach, and a
continued use of it will remove nervous com-
plaints.
Vine. Vttis.
A weak shrub, too
need much description.
familiar in our gardens to
The trunk is covered with
a rough bark ; the branches arc locg\ weak, and
straggling ; the leaves are roundish in the whole
figure, but indented deeply
into five or seven di-
visions, the lower arc inconsiderable : the fruit
is round, or oblong, juicy, and produced in great
bunches.
We use no part of the common vine, as it grows
with us ; but not to mention the several kinds of
wine that arc useful on different occasions, the
dried fruit in the form of what we call raisins and
currants, is in constant repute. Raisins of the sun,
Malaga raisins, and currants all have the same virtue ;
they are good in coughs, and soreness of the lungs,
and in consumptions.
Vinegar is also a product of the grape
: it is
wine become sour, and spirit
of wine and brandy
of the very best kinds, are made from wine also by
distillation. The substance called tartar, of which
the cream of tartar is made, is only a salt of the
grape, which sticks to the wine casks. So that we