Herbs for Health and Beauty
By
Suzanne Beedell

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Contents:

Illustrations (html version only)
Authors Acknowledgements

[1] - General Introduction. Why we use herbs. What this book contains.
[2] - History of Herbalism, Herbalists, Legends and Witchcraft.
[3] - Growing herbs, Cultivation in Window Boxes, Pots, Large Gardens, Small Gardens, Lawns. Soils. Pests.
[4] - Harvesting Herbs. When and how. Drying methods. Making racks and drying trays. Suitable rooms. Deep freezing herbs. Storing herbs.
[5] - Herbal wines and liqueurs, and Herbs and Bees.
[6] - Preparation of herbs for Cosmetic and Medical use. Estimating quantities. Methods of preparation and use. Dosages.
[7] - Herbal Cosmetics. Nails, Teeth, Hair, Bad Breath, Eyes, Face and Skin. Pot Pourri. Herb Pillows. Bath Additions.
[8] - Herbal Medicine. General introduction.

Section 1. External Ailments.

Part 1. Stings, Burns, Skin disorders, Spots, Boils, Abscesses, etc.
Part 2. Ulcers, Cuts, Scars, Bruises, External Haemorrhage. Bleeding, Sprains, etc.
Part 3. Eyes, Styes, Inflammation, etc.

Section 2. Internal Ailments.

Part 1. Tonics, Nervines, Sedatives, Insomnia.
Part 2. Aches and Pains.
Part 3. Rheumatics, Arthritis, etc.
Part 4a. Mouth ulcers, Sore throats, Colds, Catarrh.
Part 4b. Coughs, Asthma, Lung disorders.

Part 5. Fever.

Part 6. Heart troubles, Varicose Veins, High Blood Pressure.
Part 7. Diabetes.
Part 8. Lymphatic Ailments.
Part 9. Female Ailments. Menstruation. Uterine troubles. Morning sickness.
Part 10. Bladder and kidney ailments. Cystitis, Nephritis, etc. Stone.
Part 11. Stomach troubles. Jaundice. Indigestion. Ulcers. Diarrhoea.

[9] - The Herbs. (A-Z) Identification. Parts used. Qualities. (With pictures -html version only-)

Glossary
Bibliography (Removed)
Index (Removed)

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Illustrations (html version only)

Angelica (Angelica Archangelica) 
Bugle (Ajuga Reptans) 
Chicory (Chicorium Intybus) 
Cinquefoil (Potentilla Reptans} 
Coltsfoot (Tussilago Far/ara) 
Comfrey (Symphytum Officinalis) 
Devil's Bit (Scabiosa Succisa) 
Elecampane (Inula Helenium) 
Eyebright (Euphrasia Officinalis') 
Golden Rod (Solidago Virgaaria) 
Horehound, White (Marrubium Vulgare) 
Horsetail (Equisetum Arvense) 
Knapweed (Centattrea Scabiosa) 
Lungwort (Pulmonaria Officinalis) 
Marshmallow (Althea Qfficinalis) 
Melilot (Melilotus Officinalis] 
Mullein (Verbascum Thapsus) 
Mouse-ear (Hieracium Pilosella) 
Pennyroyal (Mentha Pulgium) 
Pennywort (Cotyledon Umbilicus Veneris, Umbilicus Rupestris) 
Peppermint (Mentha Piperita) 
Sanicle (Sanicula Europaea) 
Sea Holly (Eryngium Maritimum) 
Self Heal (Prunella Vulgaris) 
Sorrel (Rumex Acetosa) 
Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis Odorata) 
Tansy (Tanacetum Vulgare) 
Valerian (Valeriana Officinalis) 
Waterdock (Rumex Hydrolapathum) 
Yarrow (Achillea Millefolium) 

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Author's Acknowledgements

To write this book, however much I thought I knew about herbs, entailed studying the works of many herbalists, and I would like here and now to acknowledge past and present help. First of all from Nicholas Culpeper whose herbals are a delight, quite apart from their practical use; R.G. Wren who wrote the Potter Cyclopaedia, and many others whose brains I have picked, through their books. Thanks are due to those who have given me practical information, and practical help; my local health food shopkeeper, and local chemist, and many others.

Thanks also to those who have trusted me sufficiently to take some of the viler brews I have concocted (and have also enjoyed some of the delicious ones.)

Particularly, thanks to Ginette Leach, who has worked so hard to help me with every practical aspect of the making of this book. 

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Chapter I - Herbs For Health And Beauty

Purge me with Hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

(Psalms)

That psalmist obviously knew all about herbs, for he thought highly of hyssop and its properties. My dictionary, far less helpful, defines `Herb' as `any plant with a soft or succulent stem which dies to the root every year, as distinguished from trees or shrubs, which have hard woody stems'. As far as the psalmist and I are concerned, and all other herbalists between, a herb is an organic plant growth out of which we can make some medicine or lotion to do us good.

Modern medicine has replaced so many herbal remedies with its laboratory-made synthesised drugs; but there are just a few things to keep in mind before dismissing herbal medicine and cosmetics as a load of old wives' tales, which far too many people do, unfortunately for them. We all evolved together, humans, animals, plants, all living things, and we are all made of living cells which contain thousands of substances. These substances interact upon one another, and herbs contain differing ones in forms in which they can easily be assimilated by other creatures. Stop and think for a moment about cows, for instance. Cows eat nothing but herbs, mostly grass, and their bodies are able to extract from just that grass and herbs and a lot of water, all the necessary things to make those big meaty bodies (rump steak, etc.), gallons of milk (butter, cheese, etc.), and shining coats, horns and teeth (leather, etc.).

Anyone who keeps animals in natural conditions will tell you that they have an instinctive knowledge of herbalism. A sick animal, or one which has, either by weather conditions, or by being kept in too long, been deprived of essential vitamins, etc., will naturally and instinctively seek out the plant food which it needs. Countrymen know this, or used to, although so much of this kind of knowledge has been forgotten or ignored. Luckily in these days when pollution and the ruination of our environment are at last beginning to be recognised and studied, there is a trend, just a small one, back the other way. I was a farmer for years, and I remember, when I first moved to a farm in Devon, mentioning to an elderly neighbour that I had a sick cow that couldn't be tempted to eat. `Try some Billers,' he said. `If  it won't eat billers, it wont eat naught, and if it do eat that, it will get better.' `What on earth is billers ? I said. He looked at me pityingly and took me to the nearest hedge and pointed out the big broad leaves which I knew as Hog Weed and had often collected for my rabbits, when I was a kid. The plant is in fact Cow Parsnip (Heracleum sphondylium). The cow ate the billers, and in time the hay that we mixed with it. I've been told that sick horses, particularly mares in foal, will also select this plant which normally they will not bother to eat. It's an old gipsy trick with horses.

That is enough about cows, but I think it proves my point. It is a pity that we humans have got to the stage where we will eat any old food presented to us in tins, and packages, without  even enquiring, or even thinking about their herbal contents and whether or not they have been destroyed by processing. We will take the chemical medicines given to us, because they  act quickly and strongly without ever wondering if there 1 might be some simple herbal medicine which would do just as well perhaps better.

Our forefathers from the Stone Age on knew little about chemical medicines and beauty aids, but the herbs were always there, and it became the study of the witchdoctors, the healers, then the herbalists and the housewives to find out by trial and error what did good and what did not (and some of them used their knowledge both ways). It was a poor housewife, particularly in the country, up to the 19th century, who didn't know her herbal remedies along with her cooking and wine making.

On the other hand modern medicine still uses many herbal remedies which we take for granted; senna, liquorice, witch hazel, peppermint, quinine and chamomile, and that is just a few. Curare, now almost indispensable in surgery, is of South American herbal origin. The herbalist always used and still uses concoctions to reduce infection which are now known to contain natural antibiotics and antiseptics.

Herbs have been, and still are used to help nervous troubles. After all, hops are a vital ingredient of beer, and we put borage into our cocktails not simply for decoration. Unfortunately the most dangerous addictive drugs are also herbal. In different chapters of this book where it is appropriate, you will find more information about the uses and qualities of different herbs and why they work.

The book's purpose is to list conveniently the uses of all easily available herbs for cosmetic and medical use, and to give some help in identifying the wild ones, growing cultivated ones, and harvesting, preparing and using them all. To make a completely comprehensive herbal (even leaving out cooking) would take volumes, and it wouldn't really be much use to any but the specialist. All the herbs named in this book are easy to get in one way or another. Some grow in gardens or window boxes, many grow wild (even in these days of crop spraying when lots of the most useful herbs are murdered as nothing but weeds), and there are herb farms which sell them fresh or dried, or in cutting or seed form, already potted, and health food shops carry stocks of dried herbs. There are firms which specialise in herbal remedies and make up creams, lotions, pills, etc., or the dried herbs themselves ready for use, singly or in special combinations. Several wholesale firms have lists as long as your arm of available dried herbs, not only of plants native to this country, which will save you the trouble of growing, harvesting, or hunting for them, but also of many foreign herbs in common use. If your health food shop is difficult about any particular herb, push a bit, because in fact one or other of the wholesale firms is 99.9% certain to stock it and your retailer CAN get it if he takes the trouble.

This book is divided into chapters which discuss each aspect. The cosmetic use of herbs isn't mixed up with the medical use, and there is a completely separate list of all herbs mentioned with enough details to help you identify them, or suggestions where they can be obtained. To have made a straight catalogue of herbs with all their uses given under each, would have made it hard for the reader to find what he sought without going through half the book. But as many herbs have a variety of uses, there's bound to be a little repetition.

Harvesting and drying of herbs are dealt with. Herb farming on a big scale is outside the scope of the book. Methods of preparation and use are all in one chapter, and referred to throughout the book, so that where it says `make an infusion' for instance, use the basic method, except where it is specifically stated otherwise.

One reason why we have today on the whole abandoned home-made herbal remedies, is pure convenience; it is easier to buy something over the chemist's counter, or to get a prescription made up, than to go out and identify and harvest, or to grow and harvest herbs for oneself, or even to buy dried herbs and make up the various brews and ointments. There is also the feeling that chemists can produce much more accurately made and measured medicines, and that there is something a bit haphazard about making herbal ones, or that it is hard to get dosages right. In fact, herbal remedies are not anything like so concentrated as chemical medicines, and are normally taken or applied over a period of time, in comparatively small or weak doses, so their actions build up and are not violent. All remedies which are imbibed must work through the bloodstream, and usually have more than one particular action on the body. The specialist herbalist makes a lifelong study of the amounts of herbs to use and the length of time, etc. over which they should be taken, but the amateur should stick to the recipes or simple infusions herein, rather than do too much experimenting with unknown amounts. The old herbalists used some extremely strong-acting herbs, and even poisonous ones in minute doses, but this is dangerous stuff for the amateur, and not included here. Those readers with an understanding of the principles of homeopathy will appreciate how the professional herbalists try to build up resistance to disease. Queen Elizabeth 11 visited the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital in 1955, and was presented with a bouquet of 42 flowers, leaves, and berries, all used in modern homeopathy.

If you are not quite sure about your identification of some fresh herbs, then don't use them; get dried ones instead. We all know a dandelion from a daisy, but can make mistakes with unfamiliar ones. The illustrations and descriptions in this book should help you to identify many of the lesser known herbs. Use one of the many guides to British Flora which are in all local libraries (see Bibliography) to check identification if you are in any doubt.

One word of warning which you will find repeated throughout the book. I may be sticking my neck out because some herbalists believe that anything and everything can be cured with herbs without modern professional medical help; I do not believe this, and I am certain that modern medicine and herbalism are interdependent, and that to attempt to treat oneself entirely herbally, when the trouble is obviously serious, is foolish indeed. Use herbalism, and herbalists, use modern medicine and doctors with commonsense. Doctors are highly trained (or should be) in diagnosis, and this is all important, whichever treatments you embark upon.

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Chapter 2 - History Of Herbalism

Take a handfull of marygold, a handful of sorel, and a handful of burnet, half an handful of fetter-few, half an handful of rew, and a quantite of draggons of the top, or else the roott, and weysshe them cleyne in runnying water, and let them seyth easily fro a potell on to a quarte of liquor, and then sett yt back till it be almost cold, and streyn yt theyn with a fyn cloth and drinck yt ... and if yt be takyn before that pimpulls do apere yt will hele the syke person with God's Grace.

(King Henry VIII's own Medycine for the Pestilence)

It seems that the civilisations of the past made great use of herbs, not only for cooking, medicine and toiletry. They strewed them about their homes and even in the streets so that when crushed underfoot they gave out scent to cover up some of the pretty putrid smells around the place. They linked herbs with superstition and religion and astrology. Herbs signified different qualities such as thyme for courage, virtue and style. Rose petals were supposed to delay drunkenness. Most dyes came from herbs, Saffron, producing rich yellow, being one which we still know, and who hasn't heard of our ancient British ancestors and their woad!

Herbs and flowers were grown in comparatively enormous ` quantities, and shipped around the ancient world. Together with spices, they were highly valuable and prized, and many of the early voyages of discovery were just as involved with t finding new herbs and spices to make fortunes with, as with finding new lands. The Romans and others discovered that our British soil and climate were excellent for herb growing and made great use of it. For better or for worse it was the Elizabethan adventurers who brought tobacco to the old world, although it was by no means the first herb used purely for its drug content. Apollo's oracle at Delphi was probably drugged to a frenzy with Thorn Apple.

In the Dark Ages, those times when semi-savage people invaded the more civilised parts of the world, herb culture was swept away with a lot of other aspects of civilisation, but again and again re-established itself, until the days of printing, when the early herbalists were able to make the written records which we still possess and use; although the Greek doctor Hippocrates was recording the curative powers of herbs as early as 460 B.C.

In the Middle Ages, England was herb conscious, and there were herb gardens and markets, and herb women crying their mares in the streets. Herbs were sold beside the gateway of St. Paul's churchyard. Camomile Street in Bishopsgate, still there under that name, was probably a herb market, or herb garden.

At the beginning of this century it all changed; the Victorians had used plenty of herbs, but modern medicine and pharmacology were making enormous strides and by the 1940s only a few specialist herbalists and elderly country people were making much medical use of herbs. Even for cooking only half a dozen were being used. After the Second World War, in this country, there began a strange change of heart which has spread and ramified altering the ways of life, of thousands of people. It has a kind of name `Do it yourself'.

I suppose shortages of materials and labour began it and many men and women began to turn back towards the best things of the past, yet combining them with the technologies and necessities of the present. While so many of us remain concerned only with material and `modern' manufactured things, others look for the good and useful and beautiful in the old things and ways. We convert old cottages, keeping their shapes and styles, but adding plumbing and modern heating and lighting. We seek out traditional recipes for cooking all kinds of things from all over the world, and are not satisfied with brown gravy out of a packet and salad cream out of a bottle. We make our own wine from many of the herbs in this book. We take the paint off old furniture and wax up the underlying wood; the junk of the past is restored for our present use and decoration. And now we are rediscovering herbs, not just mint and sage and thyme and horseradish and rosemary, but yarrow, and lovage, and fennel, bergamot and burnet, not only to flavour food and make wine, but to wash our hair, improve our digestions, and cure our spots. We really are beginning again to consider the lilies of the field, and how they grow. Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these, but I'd guarantee that Solomon in his wisdom wasn't above a little herbal tea on occasions, and I'm sure the Queen of Sheba knew all about herbal cosmetics.

Herbalists

All modern physicians know not what belongs to a sympathetical cure, no more than a cuckoo what belongs to flats and sharps in music, but follow the vulgar road, and call it a hidden quality, because it is hidden from the eyes of dunces, and indeed none can give a reason for it; and physic without reason is like pudding without fat.

(Culpeper)

After Hippocrates, `The Father of Medicine', left his list of 400 herbs used medicinally in the 4th century B.C., Theophrastus of Athens, a pupil of Aristotle, wrote the earliest known work on Botany, ten volumes of it, but the earliest known true herbal was left by another Greek, Pedacius Dioscorides, the private physician to Antony and Cleopatra. (He was obviously hot on cosmetics!) His list of six hundred plants formed the basis of herbal therapy for centuries. Through the Middle Ages the monastic orders, responsible for preserving so much other culture, kept up herb cultivation and turned some of it to good use, especially the Benedictines and Carthusians. (Most liqueurs originated from monasteries and are in fact distillations of wine flavoured with herbs.) Alfred the Great used a Leech Book which listed some five hundred healing herbs (9th century A.D.). There were various herbals in Latin, German and Italian before the 76th century, but in the 1550s and 1560s, William Turner published one in English and recorded the origins of the herbs. But John Gerard produced in 1597 the first really great herbal. He was a surgeon, and his book was fully illustrated and detailed, even down to the right type of soil for planting each herb. He had his own garden in Holborn, on the banks of the River Fleet, now an underground sewer but still there. He was Apothecary to James I and probably had a lot to do with the founding of the Physic Garden of the Worshipful Company of Apothecaries at Cheyne Estate in Chelsea. Gerard grew over 1,000 species in his own garden. But it wasn't until twenty-one years after he died that his herbal was re-illustrated, re-edited and published by Thomas Johnson, another apothecary with a garden at Snow Hill, that it became really popular. Another apothecary to James I, John Parkinson, twenty years younger than Gerard, had a famous herb garden at Longacre. He is buried at St. Martins in the Fields. Fleet Street must have looked very different and probably smelt very different in those days.

During the 77th century the famous Nicholas Culpeper produced his various herbals. He linked herbs with astrology and his theories and practices still interest herbalists, and there are modern edited editions of his work (see Bibliography). The trouble with Culpeper is that all his herbs seem to be able to cure anything, and the variety of illnesses that will respond to each plant has to be read to be believed. Culpeper has always been my favourite herbalist and his book in its original text makes instructive and hilarious reading. Alkanet for instance. If you chew some alkanet and then spit into a serpent's mouth, it will instantly die. A case of the biter bit, and it conjures up a wonderful picture of Nicholas trying

to spit into the opened mouth of an adder before it got him first. Education in those days was classical and catholic, and derived from all kinds of often extremely ill informed sources. The snippets of astonishing general information that Culpeper had absorbed and repeated in his book make it fun, and neither was he troubled by the laws of libel, and made no bones about flatly contradicting the statements of Gerard and Parkinson. Yet seriously, it is an erudite and marvelously informative book.

Since then, there have been many more or less useful herbals published throughout the world, and there will be some in your local library.

The study of medicinal herbs is continuing and expanding. Research using modern techniques and equipment, by highly qualified doctors and others goes on continually, and some surprising facts are emerging. To start with, some old wives' tales are being proved scientifically, expanded upon and used in combination with modern medical methods, but there is a mass of research yet to be done, and herbalists and herbals will proliferate. Never forget that penicillin, the chemical antibiotic made from the mould penicillin, discovered first in mould on lemons, revolutionised modern medicine. What next? The herbalists' tumour remedies are under study now, and someone, somewhere may isolate the factors which inhibit the growth of cancerous cells, from some herb which is just as well known to us as is mould on lemons.

Legends, Witchcraft, etc.

Jessica: In such a night
         Medea gathered the enchanted herbs,
         That did renew old Aeson.

(Merchant of Venice)

Many herbs are held to be useful for nervous and psychological ailments, and of course those herbs which contained drugs which acted upon the brain and central nervous system did and do have considerable therapeutic uses. It seems reasonable to believe that the ancients discovered the strange effects which some drugs made from herbs have on people, and used them to produce trances, frenzies and hallucinations.

Poisons were made from herbs-Socrates was finished off with Hemlock-and so were love potions, Basil was much involved with love. Aphrodisiacs were much in demand and were commonly made of herbs, mixed with other sometimes indescribable ingredients. The stimulant effect of some herbs could have been aphrodisiacal, as the narcotic effect of others would have the opposite effect. Primitive anaesthetics were made from mandrake, opium, etc. Then there was the protective influence of herbs. Rowan to keep out witches on Halloween, bay trees to keep away thunder and lightning. Culpeper mentioned that the Roman Emperor Tiberius, he who threw those who bored him off the top of the Isle of Capri, was so terrified of thunderstorms, that he used to crawl under his bed and cover his head with bay leaves.

Garlic has always been an important herb, medicinally, in cookery, and for protective purposes.

Mandrake, known to the Arabs as the `Devil's testicles' was supposed to scream when it was pulled from the ground, so was pulled out by a dog attached to primitive tackles on a moonless night, and then whipped, for it would kill any man who tried to uproot it. Because it looked phallic and like human limbs when dug up, it was used in love potions, and to facilitate pregnancy, as well as for poisons, and narcotics. Must have taken some careful handling that one, or there could be some surprising results. Everyone knew that it grew under gallows from the dripping semen of hanged men.

The houseleek was supposed to protect against fire when it grew on your roof. Honesty could unshoe horses that trod on it, and break chains and locks.

But this isn't a book about witchcraft, so I'll leave it at that!

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Chapter 3 - Growing Herbs

For December and January, you must take such things as are green all winter: Holly, Ivy Bays, Juniper, Cypress, Tress, Yews, Pine Apple Trees, Fir Trees, Rosemary, Lavender, Periwinckles, the White, the Purpule and the Blue, Germander, Flags, Orange trees, Lemon Trees and Myrtles, if they can be warm set.

(On the Making of Gardens by Francis Bacon)

There are so many advantages in having a herb garden. While the herbs one grows are primarily those used for cooking, many such as rosemary also have cosmetic and medicinal uses, and it is so much more pleasant to be able to pick herbs fresh without trouble, as although quantities needed are larger, undoubtedly fresh herbs retain characteristics of smell and taste that are lost in drying, at least to some extent.

Of course the size of your garden makes a big difference to the amount and number of herbs you can grow, but they don't take up a lot of room, and some, lavender, thyme, rosemary, etc. Can be used as border hedges. Herbs can be grown in gardens devoted solely to that purpose, or just dotted about among herbaceous borders as flowering plants. Many have beautiful foliage, flowers, and gorgeous smells, which will enhance the beauty of any garden. Some herbs commonly used as garden flowers, such as marigold, have nothing to recommend them but bright colour. Marigold, to me, smells just like tom cats! I have a mass of self-sown feverfew in my garden. The plant is perennial, but every year a new circle of little plants springs up from seeds around each old one. My family call it a weed, and I do hoe out the seedlings, and I rarely use it, but I love its vivid light green foliage and cheerful little multiple daisy heads, and it looks well in indoor flower arrangements.

The pretty blue flowers of rosemary and mauve sage and the lovely blues of borage are well worth growing for their own sakes. Even rich crinkly green parsley looks well among flowers.

The only herbs to keep away from flowers are those such as mint and marjoram which spread like mad under the soil and pop up all over the place, and are as difficult to eradicate as couch grass or goutwort, although even these have medicinal properties. To contain such herbs, some suggest growing them in plastic or enamel bowls or buckets, just submerged under. the soil surface. In my experience they still escape sooner or later.

Grow small quantities of herbs in pots or window boxes, especially those which will not stand our winter conditions and can then be brought indoors in pots. Lawns of herbs, or patches of herbs in pathways or around garden seats, provide perpetual supplies, and smell marvellous.

If you grow your own herbs, visit a commercial herb farm, if there is one anywhere near, and you will pick up all kinds of information and good ideas. Many of our great houses `Stately Homes'-have herb gardens which have been established for years, and by showing a real interest, you can often strike up a conversation with the head gardener and find out a lot.

Gardens

Generally speaking herbs like light soil, but heavy clay soils retain moisture well, so chamomile, peppermint and other mints, angelica and parsley will thrive. But cuttings don't take well in clay soil and seed beds are difficult, as if the topsoil is broken down fine enough for seed beds, it tends to dry out to something resembling concrete after watering or rain. Improve heavy soil by digging in peat, compost or other humus making materials, and by keeping it drained and limed.

Light soils drain well, and suit lavender, sage, marjoram,, thyme, and any herbs that originally came as wild plants from hotter countries than our own.

Wet soils, really boggy soils, only grow a few special herbs, partly because the water leaches out the lime which most herbs like so well. Broom is an exception to this and will grow even in lime-deficient soils. However, moist soils suit mint, except for pennyroyal, and a lot of herbs like fairly , moist shady places; parsley, chives, lovage, chervil for instance.

Check soils for lime levels by putting some soil in a bottle with water and shaking it up well, and testing with pink litmus paper from the chemist. If it goes blue, not to worry, if it stays pink, more lime is needed.

To the layman, this emphasis on lime may seem strange, but all gardeners and farmers know that lime is the key to plant cultivation, not for itself alone, but because it acts as a reagent without which the plant cannot use other important fertilisers. I won't go into technical explanations here, but it is a fact. Except to say that the three essential plant foods are phosphates, nitrates and potash, present in most soils. The County Agricultural Advisory service of your county will analyse a soil sample for you and if you tell them what you intend to grow will suggest the necessary corrections which could be made. This is fine where big gardens are concerned, but for the average small garden is rather unnecessary. Don't over fertilize herbs, they are not gross feeders, and too much fertiliser will have the opposite effect to that required. Of course, many people believe that the addition of chemical fertilisers to herbs is a kind of sacrilege, and maybe it is. Compost-decomposing vegetable matter with a nitrogenous `starter' added to get the bacteria going, can be made from garden waste and returned to the soil as fertiliser, and animal manure, mixed with straw, peat, etc., provides some of the chemicals needed and a lot of humus. Any good gardening book will give much fuller details than I have room for here about the preparation of soils, but as a golden rule I would say DON'T overdo things, a good medium soil, neither too light nor too heavy, neither too wet nor too dry, neither too drained of goodness by excessive use, nor over full of fertiliser, either chemical or organic, will prove to be the most suitable for your herbs. Remember that herbs originally grew wild, and most still do, somewhere. They are not being cultivated, as are other garden flowers, for size of plant or colour, and size of flower; or to achieve an enormous harvest.

Propagation Of Herbs

Except for annual herbs, seeding is not always the best way to start a garden. It may be hard to get fertile seed for some herbs in this country (I get seed for long-leaved parsley from Prance) and the seeds of several other herbs can be bought over the counter much more easily on the continent than here in England where their use is not common. It is a good idea to spare a few minutes on your next continental holiday to look round a garden shop for seeds in cheap packets.

Herbs such as lavender and rosemary root easily from cuttings. In fact it is always worth trying propagation by cuttings from herbs with more or less woody stems. Side shoots pulled off with a small heel to them will usually root best and should be planted in the spring. Put them in the ground to about half their length, and press the soil very: firmly.

Some plants can be propagated simply by splitting existing stocks, i.e. chives. Just divide up the plants in the autumn and re-plant up till the end of November, when frosts are likely to start. Or wait till the frosts are over, and divide and plant in , March or April. Obviously spring planting is best if your site is exposed or too damp.

Bushy herbs such as thyme and sage will produce new cuttings quite simply. Heap good earth round the leggy part of the bush, and tamp it fairly firmly. Leave it so that only the leafy part of the plant still sticks out of the soil. Do this in the autumn, and by the spring, all the little branches under ground will have put out root systems and can be broken off and used as fresh plants. To make a hedge of thyme, or sage, you can get enough new plants from one old one in this way in just one season.

When using seed, follow the instructions on the packet. Usually they will grow quite well if sown in April, but some of the less hardy ones may like to be started in seed boxes, in a cold frame, or indoors, and planted out later. Even these will usually grow quite well outside if planting is left till May when the weather is a little warmer. '

Herbs that put out runners, such as mint and marjoram, propagate all too easily by just breaking off a bit of shoot with a root under it, and planting it again. The problem with these herbs is to stop them propagating.

Leave plenty of room between plants; lavender bushes need to be four feet apart, rosemary at least three feet (although the bush will grow huge if left unpruned). Allow two feet between rows. Be careful not to put plants of the same family, such as dill and fennel too near together or they will cross fertilise.

Potted cuttings ready for planting out can be bought from herb farms, and for many this is the quickest and best way to get a herb garden going. Make sure that the plant you buy is exactly what you want as there are different varieties of such things as mint, tarragon, etc. which have more or less flavour, as the case may be. A reputable herb farm will not let you down, although a general nurseryman with less particular merest in herbs might sell you the wrong one.

Cultivation

Keep herbs well hoed, but never over-watered. Where it is the leaf or root and not the blossom required, remove the flower heads as they appear, to encourage leaf growth. Protect delicate plants in winter under cloches or dry straw, out don't let this get soggy or the plant beneath will rot away. Don't add chemical fertilisers-few herbs need feeding. Prune herbs well, even if they are not being used, to stop them becoming straggly.

Siting

All the authorities suggest that you grow herbs as close to the Kitchen door as possible so that it is quick and easy to pick fresh sprigs of this and that for cooking. I suppose they have a joint, but I think it's a bit daft. If you have bothered to make a herb garden, well then you probably have a pleasant garden anyway, and surely the few moments it takes to walk down to the herbs, or to put on your galoshes, is well compensated for by a lungful of the smells of fresh flowers and herbs, which will take your mind off your work and troubles for a few moments. It is certainly a good idea to pave around, and-if the garden is big-through the herb garden so that you can get at everything without treading on other herbs or collecting muck to take indoors again. just put some mint and parsley outside the back door, and leave it at that.

Small herb gardens must be carefully thought out to include as many herbs as possible, and it is always a good idea to use she more woody herbs as hedges-space out plants that grow large and those that remain small, carefully, so that neither shall impede the growth of the other. A small garden should not face north; keep the low-growing plants to the front, and grow only perennials. One of the simplest ways to lay it out is to make a clock bed. Put a stick in the ground in front of the bed, about a foot outside it, and tie a piece of string to it. Mark out the bed. Different herbs can then be grown in each section, or the sections can be divided With small hedges or strips of herbs. Elaborate on this idea to please yourself.

Include a pool in a large garden if possible, and grow the water-loving herbs around it. Make paths of chamomile, hedges of lavender, rosemary or roses, edgings of thyme, chives, parsley, sage, hyssop. Use marigold, nasturtiums and borage for colour. Red sage, golden thyme and bronze savory remain colourful in winter.

Where space is very limited, make a tiered rock garden for your herbs, up against a wall, or in a corner, or even based on concrete. Where a house wall is used, some protection must be given to the brickwork, or it will absorb moisture and make the house damp. A good basis of black heavy duty polythene which can be bought from garden shops and builders' merchants, serves as a permanent damp course, provided that it is neither torn nor perforated. Build a small herb garden in the angle of a wall as follows. Cut a large square of polythene and fit it into the corner. Hold the front edge down and cover it with a double row of bricks cemented in, and fill in behind this with earth up to a height of at least a foot, remembering that the earth will inevitably consolidate and sink. Then put another layer of bricks about a foot or eighteen inches back, and fill again with earth, and add yet another layer of bricks and earth, making a kind of three-tier garden with room for lots of herbs. Adapt this system to fit various odd corners. The sheltered situation under or along a wall is fine for most herbs.

Large herb gardens present only individual problems of how best to lay them out, and are usually bordered by herb hedges. A good look around a herb farm will help you a lot here. There are no hard and fast rules about sitting, but do take care to study the relative sizes of the full grown plants before you start, (back to the botany book or `flora') so that the garden is well balanced.

As mentioned before, there are many herbs which take a natural place in the flower garden, or, if you have a really big garden or country house, which will grow semi-wild. Honeysuckle, blackberry, fennel and any wild herbs which can be persuaded to grow, come into this category. The problem is to prevent some over-zealous gardener from cutting them out as noxious weeds.

Lawns

Big stretches of one of the lawns at Buckingham Palace are planted with chamomile. Wild thyme and pennyroyal grow well in lawn forms, but won't bear too much trampling.

Chamomile planted about four inches apart in sandy soil, makes a hardy and excellent lawn. Unless you want it to flower, top the lawn when it is three inches high, and it will thicken out. Never mow lower than half an inch. Keep out other weeds and grasses by hand and water the lawn well.

Wild thyme and pennyroyal lawns should be planted as established cuttings in the spring, well watered and weeded, and allowed to flower, although if lightly mown they will thicken out but not flower. This kind of herb lawn is best kept for small patches near garden seats, etc. where the smell is delightful, or allowed to spread between the stones of crazy paving or uncemented pathways. It will, once it is established, keep down other weeds, and thrive well.

Window Boxes And Pots

If you have no garden at all, grow herbs as pot plants; but the yield won't be big enough to provide much for drying or for medicinal use, although it is a reasonable way to get herbs for cooking. Window boxes will hold quite enough of the commoner herbs to provide herbs for cooking, or perhaps enough of one or two specific herbs for medicinal use.

When setting up pots or window boxes (although these can be bought ready planted with sets of herbs) put some broken potsherds or bits of crockery over the drainage holes so that they cannot become blocked, and use John Innes Compost No. 3, Levington Compost, or E. F. Compost, rather than garden soil. Water the plants frequently, but don't let them get soggy. The bushier or taller plants will be naturally dwarfed by being confined, and will bush out well if pruned.

Keeping Pests Away From Herb Gardens

Nobody wants to use chemical pesticides. Natural insect repellents are the obvious answer.

Plenty of garlic powder sprinkled among seeds will keep away the birds; cayenne pepper on the leaves of fruit trees before the fruit ripens will keep away fruit fly. Powdered African daisy, derris root and tobacco dust are insect repellents.

Aromatic bitters; southernwood, mugwort and rue keep birds and insects off at seed time. Sprinkle the seeds themselves well before planting, as this also deters mice, slugs and other seed thieves.

If you have stocks of old dried herbs which have lost most of their value and are about to be replaced, sprinkle them back into the herb garden where they will act as natural fertiliser, humus, and where appropriate, as repellents.

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Chapter 4

Harvesting Herbs

-----------

Throw hither all your quaint enamelled eyes
That on the green turf suck the honied showers,
And purple all the ground with vernal flowers.
Bring the rathe primrose that forsaken dies,
The tufted crowe-toe and pale jessamine
The white pink and the pansy freaked with jet,
The glowing violet,
The muskrose and the well-attired woodbine,
With cowslips wan that hang the pensive head,
And every flower that sad embroidery wears:
Bid amaranthus all his beauty shed,
And daffadillies fill their cups with tears
To strew the laureate hear where Lycid lies.

(Milton)

-----------

The golden rule is to harvest herbs when they are at their very best, whether it be flowers, leaves, root, or the whole plant.

It is important to harvest the effective part of the plant at its point of growth when it contains the active principle you want. For instance there is no point collecting roots when the herb is in full leaf and flower, and little food is being stored in the roots. Also it is important to know exactly which parts of each plant you are after. Potato berries are poisonous, and it is only the tuberous roots which are eaten.

Always collect plants in a flat tray or basket, never lump them into a bag unless you wish crushing and heating to start up almost at once. I pick elderflowers for home-made wine into big polythene bags, and even by the time I have reached home and tipped out the contents ready for stripping, the blossoms are starting to heat-which doesn't matter as far as wine making is concerned. If the blossoms were left in the bag overnight, however, they would heat considerably, and begin to decompose, and unsuitable yeasts would probably have developed.

Set plants out to dry, or hang in bunches as appropriate, as soon as possible after picking, and if they are to be used fresh, get on with it.

Roots

When the top growth of a plant dies down in the autumn, the root continues to act as a storehouse to keep the plant alive through the winter, and therefore it is in the autumn that the root is at its best, or in the early spring just before the sap begins to rise. Lift roots carefully without bruising or cutting, and then brush off loose dirt and nip off the little hair roots and fibrous growths. Wash carefully and quickly, using a strong jet spray if possible. Set the roots to drain.

Leaves

Take leaves just before the flowers open, when they should be at their best. Don't take too many or the plant will not be able to absorb enough atmospheric carbon to go on living, or . at best will be very weakened. Take young leaf shoots, and this will just have the effect of pruning the plant, which will thicken up and produce bigger and better crops.

Entire Plant

If the entire plant is to be used take it up while it is in full bloom and trim and wash the roots only, before drying it.

Whole Plant Above Ground

Sometimes this part of the plant (known as the herb) is used,' and the root left to be harvested later, or after a second year. The stems must be cut off cleanly. Cut back to the previous years' growth when harvesting thyme, sage, and other ' bushy herbs. Marjoram can be cut back to ground level, although the leaves will die right down naturally in the winter.;.

Flowers

Flowers are at their best when fully open, but not after they, have been blooming for ages. Pick them immediately they , open and the essential oils will be saved, rather than dissipated naturally as perfume. In some cases it is best to harvest flowers only half opened. Avoid all damaged flowers, and avoid damage when picking. Cut the blooms off the stalks over the . tray on which you intend to dry them, so that the petals are not even touched by hand.

Bark

Gather in early spring or autumn and take it from big branches only, or you may damage the tree. Both outer and inner bark are used.

Seeds

Either cut the whole flower or flowering branches as the blooms die back, and hang them upside down to dry out over a container to catch the seeds as they fall, or tie little muslin bags over the flower heads. Be sure the draw-string bottom is tight, or the seeds may fall right through and get mixed up if you have several species drying side by side. In a warm dry summer, let the seeds dry on the growing plants and harvest them before they scatter.

When collecting seeds for propagation, choose only perfect plants and store the seeds carefully in little jars or envelopes or brown paper bags in a cool, dry, dark place.

Berries

Collect berries when they are first ripe, before they get mushy. Berries which grow in clusters, such as elderberries, can be forked off their stalks after they have been part dried.

Do's And Don'ts

It is always best to harvest early in the morning as soon as the dew has evaporated and the plants are dry. Choose dry days when the atmospheric humidity is low. Take only the part you require, and no more than you need. Be careful not to destroy other vegetation especially when collecting wild herbs. Don't take rare herbs at all. Avoid excessive handling. Use flat or open containers, not bags. Don't pick herbs beside dusty, dirty main roads where they are thoroughly contaminated by diesel and petrol fumes, and dogs. Keep the most careful watch for crop and pesticide spraying, and never pick herbs where you know this recently to have been done. Be suspicious about fields containing crops which are too weed free to be true; they have probably been sprayed, and some will have collected on the hedgerows, where of course it will have killed some herbs, but not necessarily all, as some weed killers are selective. Don't water garden plants the day before harvesting.

Protection Of Wild Plants

There is legislation in this country to protect wild plants, but not on private land. Local County Councils can make orders preserving wild plants. Fortunately those most in demand are common and nobody really minds how much you pick. But one cannot stress too strongly, in these times, the need for care to preserve our environment, not only from pollution, but from wanton damage or even damage caused in all innocence or ignorance.

Drying Herbs

A man's nature runs either to herbs, or to weeds; 
therefore let him seasonably water the one, and destroy the other.

(Francis Bacon)

This is just about the most difficult part of herb production and the most important, for whatever their use, herbs which are badly preserved are next to useless, as all their qualities are lost.

Normal temperatures and humidity in this country are not suitable for proper herb drying, except during our occasional heat waves when plants can be dried out of doors hung in loose bunches under trees, or spread out on trays or racks. But don't expose herbs to strong sunlight as this evaporates off a lot of qualities. Depending upon the scale of your operations, makeshifts will do.

Ideally, you need a well-ventilated and high ceilinged room which can be brought to an even temperature of 90F. and that is very warm. Shade the windows, and use a thermometer to keep a constant check. A special drying room in your house or a garden shed fulfilling these requirements could cost a lot, unless you are going in for commercial work. A greenhouse, with top ventilation, no soil in it at all, and means of shading the windows, makes a good drying room. It will get quite hot in sunshine, and extra heating can easily be put in. In colder weather, the heat loss through the glass will be high, and it will take a lot of heating to dry herbs properly. Garages and sheds, provided they are adequately ventilated, can have extra heating put in, but that's expensive to install and maintain.

Your airing cupboard won't hold a lot, but is probably the best drying place for small quantities of herbs placed in boxes, without lids. Kitchens and bathrooms may be warm but are always humid and are not the best places for drying. You tray have a suitable windowsill or window seat below a south facing window, where the herbs will dry out quite well, but continual bright sunshine is really not ideal.

It is in the first stages of drying that most heat is needed, and after the first twenty-four hours, something between 70 and 75F. is sufficient. This is not too difficult a temperature to maintain. Avoid heaters which give off fumes.

When only a few herbs are to be dried, use cardboard boxes without lids, trays, pieces of wire netting, hessian, old sheets, butter muslin, net curtains, anything in fact on which the herbs can be laid flat and which will allow air to circulate. For larger quantities make proper drying trays. Light wooden frames with corner pieces to prevent twisting, covered with hessian or double butter muslin lightly stretched over them and nailed into position are ideal. Make special racks to take these frames or use standard metal racks. As long as the racks can be kept sufficiently apart and air can circulate, it doesn't matter what type of shelving is used, but solid shelving which stops the flow of air is obviously not suitable. A set of racks can be made with rollers, made of light polyvinyl piping slipped over dowels, on which the frames are laid. Each frame will pull in and out easily so that the herbs can be turned.

Fix racks permanently to the wall, or make them like trolleys with castors on the legs, so that they can be moved around.

Some herbs can be dried by tying them in loose bunches and hanging them up on lines or racks across the drying room, or in the airing cupboard, or any suitable place out of direct sunlight and not too humid, but bunches must not be too big, or they won't dry out evenly, and heating will start in the middle of the bunch.

Spread plants out thinly in their trays and boxes, and label each tray; and don't mix plants. Keep the temperature around 90F. for 24 hours to dry out most of the moisture, but don't let them get too hot, or a lot of the goodness will go up in steam. Turn the plants several times during the first 24 hours, to get even drying, either by removing the tray from the rack or cupboard and turning by hand, or by giving the underside of the tray a good smack with a stick. After the first day, turn the herbs once a day and if possible turn the racks themselves right round. It shouldn't take more than a week at the outside to dry herbs; but if you keep bringing new material into the drying room, that means extra humidity, and will slow the process. Always put new material on the top racks so that humidity can go out through the ventilation system without damping other dried plants.

Plants are dry when the leaves and stems become crisp and will snap and powder easily. Petals become dry and very papery. Roots must be brittle right through, not leathery, and should break easily without spongy or fibrous cores. Seeds  should crack and crumble between the fingernails.

Dried material must be properly stored, but first has to be picked over or rubbed down. Rubbing down any quantity may make the hands sore, and half choke you in the bargain, so wear thin cotton gloves and a smog mask (which can be bought from a chemist). For small quantities, pick off the leaves first, and rub between the fingers if you want them fine. For most medicinal and cosmetic purposes where infusions will be made, the plants need not be broken down too small. Those who possess electric grinders, coffee mills, etc., will be able to break seeds right down if they wish. Get rid of all rubbish, stalks, etc. before storage. Herbs will re-absorb moisture if stored in damp places, and large quantities are best kept in small sacks or brown paper bags (not plastic) hung in the drying room or in some place where they will not be exposed to direct sunlight or to damp air, but can breathe.

Keep small quantities in airtight containers, but NEVER in tins. If the containers are not light proof, they must be kept in a dark place.

Deep Freezing Herbs

This can be done successfully with small amounts of herbs, and it does retain colour and quality quite well, except that they should be blanched in boiling water for about a minute before freezing, and this may remove some of the active ingredients. Small waxed cardboard containers are best for deep freezing herbs, which are packed into them, sealed and immediately put into the freezer. This method is very useful for culinary herbs, but not so good for herbs for medical or cosmetic use.

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Chapter 5

Herbal Wines And Liqueurs

Drink no longer water, 
but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake 
and your often infirmities.

(St. Paul)

Wines and liqueurs made from herbs carry many of the useful properties of the herbs themselves, plus some considerable alcohol content. I'm not going to discuss the pros and cons of taking alcohol, but it is a fact that some of the resins and oils which do not normally dissolve in water, will be carried in the alcohol. And yeast never hurt anybody. For any number of herbal wine and liqueur recipes (and beer) see Wine Making and Home Brewing, Sphere Books, by the same author. Herb liqueurs are very simple to make and merely consist of adding berries to brandy, with a certain amount of sugar, and allowing the berries to soak for up to six months to impart their flavour and qualities to the brandy. The mixture is put into a container such as a Kilner jar and turned the other way up every week to let the contents blend well. Cherry brandy, made this way, with the addition of a few almonds, is gorgeous. Sloe Gin is equally good and most unusual. Various berry liqueurs are made in this way. Economically it is a sound proposition, as the sugar and the juice from the berries just about doubles the original quantity of spirit used. Thus half a bottle of brandy will make a full bottle of cherry brandy, and that is a big saving. The only trouble is to stop all and sundry just drinking the stuff because they enjoy it, when you want it for medicinal purposes only.

Recipe: I large Kilner Jar. Half fill with berries. Scant 1/2 lb of sugar. Top up with brandy. This is a very basic recipe, for variations you'll have to get the book mentioned above.

Wine recipes vary considerably, but the only ingredients needed are the flowers or fruit, sugar, dried yeast, water, lemon juice, cold tea, and possibly, (according to the fruit) a few raisins. Chemicals can be substituted (citric acid, yeast nutrient) but are not strictly necessary. Home wine making and beer making is ridiculously easy, and the results are excellent and very cheap.

Beekeeping

For he on honeydew hath fed,
and drunk the milk of paradise.

(Kublai kabn, Coleridge)

This is not the place to go into the technicalities of beekeeping, but bees and herb gardens go together, and not only is honey very subtly flavoured according to the flower from which the bees have taken it, not only are the young bees fed on pollen from different herbs, but honey has of itself health giving qualities, which combined with herbs can do nothing but good. Before the discovery of sugar cane and sugar beet, natural honey was the only sweetening agent available, and its use was absolutely universal for whatever we now do with sugar.

If you have a garden of any size, town or country, there is no reason whatsoever why you should not keep bees. Unless you are one of the very unlucky who are totally allergic to bee stings, you will find that firstly, bee stings aren't really very troublesome and can be dealt with herbally, and secondly that as you become experienced, you won't often get stung. Anyway, beekeepers are said never to suffer from rheumatism 1 Quite apart from the pleasure of harvesting honey from one's own bees, and gaining the beeswax for making herbal ointments and for polishing furniture, etc., you cannot fail to become fascinated by the social lives of the creatures. It does cost a bit to set up hives and colonies and buy the necessary equipment.'. As always, the best way is to make friends with a beekeeper who will give you help, hints, and often bees and old equipment.

To keep bees is a way to gain peace and quiet. Most people; are unnecessarily scared of them, and you will be allowed to potter around your beehives without interference for hours' on end. As a side product of honey, the syrups made with it and with herbs, and the mead and metheglin which are wines made from honey and herbs, are medicinal in themselves, as well as very pleasant to drink.

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Chapter 6

Preparation Of Herbs For Cosmetic And Medicinal Use: Methods And Dosage

'Wormes breede in the cheke teethe ... and this is knowen by itchynge and tyckelinge and continyal digging and thyrlynge. Worms of the teethe ben slayne with myrrhe and opium ..." A physician who lived at the end of the I2th century, who had learned his art from a fairy who rose from a lake under the Black Mountains of Carmarthenshire, and whom he afterwards married, gave these directions: 'Take a candle of muttonfat, mingled with seed of sea holly, burn this candle as close as possible to the tooth, holding a basin of cold water beneath it. The worms, which are gnawing the tooth, will fall into the water to escape the heat of the candle.' 

Estimating Quantities

However you intend to make, up your herbs, the principles are the same; to extract the useful substances from them so that they can be used for any particular purpose. Whether dried or fresh herbs are used makes little difference to preparation except that fresh herbs are much bulkier, yet dried ones do lose something of their value in drying especially if it has been done badly. First of all you must be able to estimate quantities. It is easy enough to weigh out ounces of dried herbs, but fresh herbs contain such a lot of water, and some plants with specially fleshy leaves are moister than others. Woody stemmed plants dry to about a quarter of their original weight.

8 Ib of most Meadow, wayside and garden herbs will produce about 1 Ib of dry herbs.
Roots dry from about 10 Ib to 1 Ib.

Plants growing in or near water will reduce from as much as 20 Ib to 1 Ib of dried matter.
Smaller leaved herbs and blossoms dry from about 10 Ib to 1 Ib.

As a general rule, taking an average, one big handful of dried herbs equals one ounce of dried herbs, or three big handfuls of fresh .herbs, but use a little commonsense over this according to the type of herb being used.

Making Infusions:

The commonest and simplest way to make herbal medicines, washes and lotions is to make an infusion either with fresh or dried herbs or blossoms.

The basic recipe is: 1 oz. of dried herbs to 1 pint of water or the equivalent in fresh herbs, approximately three big handfuls. Unless otherwise stated, `Infusion' in the materia medica means these proportions.

`Weak Infusions' means halving the herb content.

`Strong Infusions' means doubling the herb content.

Sometimes wine or vinegar are used instead of water, and this is always pointed out.

Method Of Making Infusions:

Leaves and flowers of fresh plants should be cut off their stalks unless the infusion is to be of flowers only. The leaves and stalks go first into a clean cloth and are bruised slightly so that they will give up the juices more easily. Flowers only, go straight into the infusion pot without bruising. The herbs are put into an enamel, stainless steel, or earthenware pan, and the right proportion of water added. The mixture is then heated slowly, but not boiled. Always keep the pot tightly covered so that no goodness goes off in the steam. Take the pan off the stove and leave the contents to brew for at least a few hours, overnight if possible. Pour off the liquid into a glass container (unless the bits and pieces are floating right through the liquid, when it will have to be strained). Cover the storage pots and jars, and tie a piece of sheet or cotton cloth over the top if there is no lid.

Small quantities of infusions are often made just a teacupful at a time by reducing the proportions of herbs and water accordingly.

The less palatable infusions, and some are really rather nasty, will probably be improved by sweetening, and honey and sugar, preferably honey, will make a lot of difference and won't do any harm, except of course to diabetics.

Making Herbal Teas:

Many herbs on the other hand make delicious teas, and in fact in some countries, herb teas are drunk in preference to ordinary tea; that includes parts of China.

Dried Herb Tea: Use 1 teaspoonful of herbs for each cup and 1 for the pot.

Fresh Herb Tea Use three times as many leaves, and crush them inside a clean cloth before using. The moisture content of the fresh leaves means that the taste and aroma will not be so concentrated as it is from dried herbs.

Aromatic Seed Tea Use 1 tablespoonful per pint and crush the seeds before boiling.

Methods:

Use 1 oz of herb dried, or 3 ozs fresh, per pint of water.

Use a china or glass teapot. Glass teapots show the pleasant colours of herb teas. Warm the pot. Put the dried or fresh crushed herbs into the pot. Pour in boiling water, in about the same proportions as you would when making ordinary Indian tea: Steep for 4 minutes.

To Make Iced Tear Put the herbs in an earthenware container and pour in the boiling water, steep for 5 minutes. Strain, and return the liquid to the container, cover it and put it in the fridge to cool.

To Makes Tear from Seeds Put the bruised seeds into water already boiling in an enamel saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes, strain and serve hot.

Herbs can be put into muslin bags and used just like ordinary teabags. Be sure you remember the quantities-1 teaspoonful, 2 teaspoonfuls-of whatever it may happen to be that you put into the bag in the first place.

Don't use metal pots, don't steep teas too long and don't boil seeds for too long, unless specifically stated. Teas, like infusions, should never be kept for more than three or four days.

Remember that any organic matter put into water, will in time ferment as it contains natural yeasts and some natural sugar. Especially if the weather is warm, or the stuff is stored in a warm room. This limits storage of infusions to about three days. You can tell when fermentation starts by little bubbles rising. It won't hurt to use the liquid externally, but don't drink it. If a bottle ferments and is left alone it will turn eventually into a kind of very dry wine or vinegar, or just go bad, (according to what natural yeast is activating it), and the bottle, if tightly closed, will probably explode anyway.

Fresh Milk Herbal Drinks This is another way to make cold infusions and avoids any cooking at all. Milk absorbs oils, etc. very easily, as you will know if you have left an open jug of milk in the fridge with some other strong-smelling food. This means that finely chopped herbs put into raw milk and left for a few hours will give up a lot of their properties to the milk. Take the cream off the milk first, and chop and bruise the herbs. A mechanical cutter of any kind will do the job well, provided the machine itself does not taint the herbs. Keep the milk covered while steeping is going on, and strain the herbs out before drinking the product.

Green Drink Some herbalists make a drink directly from the leaves of plants by putting fresh leaves through an electric liquidiser. Comfrey can be made into a drink this way, and it is a good way, as it provides big doses of the herb quickly. Four large leaves put in the liquidiser with half a teacupful of water, and well blended, make a not too unpalatable drink. [Editors note, Comfrey can be toxic if used internally in large doses or for a prolonged time]

Seeds:

Eat seeds raw, or put them onto damp blotting paper or light flannel, just as one grows mustard and cress, and eat them as soon as they split and germinate, before there is any real growth of root and stem. Some seeds may be infused, and others may be roasted lightly and ground in a mill or by pounding, and used just like coffee.

Roots:

Dry roots, as described in the harvesting section, and use, them for infusions and decoctions (see below). Cut up and boil fresh roots until they are soft, just as one prepares vegetables for cooking, except that they should be left in the water to steep for several hours before straining off the liquid Palatable roots can of course be eaten raw, or grated over salad. Roots won't ferment quite so quickly as leaves and flowers, so can be kept a day or two longer after infusion.

Bark:

Some barks may be eaten raw, but usually need different preparation, and where special methods are needed, they are detailed.

Sun Infusions Some herbs, particularly the aromatics, and most highly scented flowers, can be used to make cold water infusions. Fill a shallow glass dish with water, and carefully cover the surface with the leaves or flowers, without, if possible, touching them by hand. Or cut a tablespoonful of herbs finely and sprinkle them into the water. Then leave the dish in hot sunshine for two days, before straining off the solid matter.

Decoction:

The difference between a decoction and an infusion or tea is that decoctions are boiled. The herbs, more often than not the fresh roots, are put into cold water and boiled, usually for about twenty minutes, until the liquid has been reduced by about one third, and the herb has given up its properties to the water. Cover the pot loosely while this goes on, but obviously some steam must be allowed to escape, or the liquid won't reduce.

Fresh roots, cut into thin slices, are used in the proportion of I oz to I pint and boiled down until two thirds of a pint is left, and the liquid is strained and stored as are infusions.

Tinctures:

Some herbs contain gummy or resinous substances which won't dissolve in water, so cannot be extracted by decoction or infusion. Alcohol must be used to dissolve out the substance. Surgical spirit, wine vinegar, or wine will do. Use z oz of powdered herb to I quart of liquid. Make it in Kilner jars or smaller containers tightly closed. Stand the containers in full sunlight turn and shake frequently for a fortnight; and store in the dark.

Syrups:

Are made by adding infusions or decoctions to honey and boiling down until the mixture becomes a heavy syrup. Another way to make large quantities of syrup is to make a strong infusion of flowers, I Ib of flowers to 3 pints of water. Strain the liquid and add z Ib of sugar to every pint, and bring to the boil stirring all the time. Do not continue the boiling or you will end up with a kind of caramel

Essences:

These are made for external use and involve the pressing of the essential oil from a herb and then adding it to alcohol, surgical spirit or wine vinegar, 1 to 2 oz of oil per quart of alcohol. This can of course be made with essential oils bought from herbal stockists, chemists, etc.

Essential Oil:

It is possible to make your own oil. Crush the herb finely with a pestle and mortar or put it through a liquidiser, or even a mincing machine. Put two tablespoonfuls of the pounded herb in a half pint bottle and fill it three quarters full with corn or sunflower oil and a tablespoonful of wine vinegar. Cork the bottle and place it in hot sunlight. Shake the bottle every time you pass it, at least once a day for three weeks. Then strain off the herbs and press all the oil out and put it back in the, bottle. Repeat the process by adding another lot of herbs. The oil is strong enough when, if you put some on the back of your hand, you can really smell the herb.

If there isn't enough sunshine, the tightly corked bottles, never more than three quarters full, should be put in a double boiler and kept at just below boiling point for several hours every day for at least a week, or until the oil smells strong enough when tested.

Herbal Pills:

If there is some unpalatable herb which you cannot bear to taste, make the pounded herb into a thick paste with molasses; and corn flour, just mixing well without heating. Roll the; mixture into tiny balls, and put rice paper or tissue paper, round each, and wash them down with water.

Ointments:

Are made by cooking the herb in lard, preferably hog's fat; being careful neither to fry the herb until it burns, nor burn the fat. One ounce of herb to I Ib of fat should produce reasonably strong ointment. The addition of beeswax, which sets very hard, will if added to this goo after the herb has been,' strained out, and reheated gently until it has melted, stiffen up the resulting mixture, so that it becomes, when cold, an ointment rather than a grease. Do some experimenting here to get quantities right. It is rather like making furniture polish, and depends upon personal taste just how runny or stiff you like it to be.

Simplest of all, just pound raw, finely chopped herb into common cold cream.

Making Poultices And Compresses

Herbs are very commonly used as poultices and compresses, for almost any purpose for which a lotion or salve of the same herb is also used. Every country child who was ever stung by a nettle has made a simple cold compress by holding a dock leaf, crushed and spat upon, over the sting. The use of cold leaves, strictly speaking, is a compress not a poultice, and the simplest compress of this kind is made by bruising leaves and binding them round a bruise, wound or swelling or abscess with a plain bandage or even a big leaf. Fresh leaves steeped in boiling water until soft, strained and squeezed gently by hand, can be used as a poultice without additions. Add infusions of leaves, etc. to other ingredients which I will list below, to make poultices which have not only the properties of the herb, but that of the basic ingredients. First of all, though, I will explain the simple way to make Compresses. They are lust pieces of lint dipped into either hot or cold infusions or lotions and laid over the appropriate part. Compresses are used on eyes and face, and occasionally to reduce swelling and bruising.

Eye Compresses consist of pads made up of two or three layers of lint cut to cover the whole eye. Fresh compresses, dipped in lotion and gently squeezed out so that you don't get drenched, are put on at ten-minute intervals.

Whole Face Compresses are made by cutting squares of lint big enough to fold into triangles which will cover the face. Warm and cold compresses (dipped in warm or cold infusions) are used alternately, but the warm compress is usually left on for about half a minute at a time, followed by ten seconds with the cold compress.

Always finish with clear water cold compresses to- rinse off any herb residue.

Poultice

First are the hot fresh poultices made as described. All the other poultices are mixtures which must be spread on to clean linen or lint and held tightly to the affected part. This isn't quite so simple as it sounds, as you may wish to be able to reheat the poultice and use it again, or to avoid too much stickiness getting on to the skin. Big squares of white lint, cut to suitable size, and laid upon a dinner plate on top of a saucepan full of gently boiling water, should be spread with the appropriate hot poultice mixture, and then applied immediate to the skin, and held in place until cool with a big bandage light towel or clean rag. If you wish to reheat the same poultice, remove it and lay it back on the plate, face up, as put another plate upside down, or a saucepan lid over the t to keep the heat in, and let the whole thing heat up again. the mixture is very sticky, put a piece of butter muslin gauze over the mixture spread on the lint, before applying to poultice. Don't re-use poultices too often, as they get weaken each time.

Slippery Elm Poultice Crushed or dried herbs are simply mixed with the coarse slippery elm powder, moistened, and spread on the lint and heated up. Or slippery elm powder is added to boiling infusion until it is thickened enough to spread hot on to the lint. This herb used normally as a stomach medicine, has healing and soothing properties which make it excellent for poulticing.

Linseed is one of the commonest poultices known. Rinse out a basin with warm water, and put in it a pint of boiling water. Sprinkle in a quarter of a pound of linseed and stir it all the time with a wooden spoon. Stir in half an ounce of olive oil, and spread the mixture thickly on a piece of linen, fold it over and apply. Or put the linseed into cotton bags, or spread on lint as described above. Some herbalists add grated or boiled mashed carrots and turnips to the goo, especially where the poultice is intended to `draw'.

Mustard poultice is made with a handful of mustard flour and a handful of bran, mixed to a paste with very hot water, and spread on a piece of lint or cloth, and applied direct. Another form of mustard plaster is made by adding I handful of mustard powder to three handfuls of whole-wheat flour. Mix to a pliable paste, add a dessertspoonful of hot vinegar, spread on lint or cloth and apply it. If you have a sensitive skin, add 1 egg white to every half pint of the mixture.

Charcoal is sometimes used as a cleansing poultice. Carrots or turnips, raw and grated, or boiled and mashed, are mixed with vegetable charcoal.

Onion poultice is made by making a thick paste from -1 Ib of grated onions, or the same amount boiled and added to I Ib of wheat bread-crumbs, moistened with cold milk, and squeezed out.

Poppy-head Poultice Add boiled poppy heads to linseed poultice as above, spread the mixture direct on to the skin, where its anaesthetic effect will be soothing, and will draw out poisons as well.

Cleansing Cream

Pond's Cold Cream makes a simple basis for herbal creams, but it must be removed from its pot into a larger container in which it can be heated very slightly in a double saucepan. Bring it to the point where you can blend in essential oils (made as above), drop by drop. If you have a simple mechanical beater which won't make too much mess or waste too much, use this to blend the cream.

To Make up Your Own Cleansing Cream Blend together in a double saucepan, lanolin and white wax in the proportions of one part of white wax to two of lanolin by weight, then add, still beating well, 3 parts of almond oil by weight (all obtainable from chemists and herbal stockists). This makes the basic cream to which can be added one or more herbal oils (essential oils) either bought or home made.

Facial Steam

Cover your hair with a turban or bath cap, and clean the face normally. Have ready two handfuls of herbs in a bowl big enough to contain 3 pints of water. Pour two pints of boiling water over the herbs, and hold your head over the bowl, about eight inches away from it for about ten minutes, covering head and bowl with a thick towel the whole time, to keep the steam in. Wipe off with a cold wet flannel and then put on a face pack if you want to.

Face Packs

These are a mixture of herbs usually in the form of an infusion, with some kind of carrier which can be spread on the face. The pack is applied thinly with a brush or pad or if very thin, spread on muslin to hold it in place. The eyes and lips are left uncovered or protected with wet cotton-wool pads. Having gut on a face pack, lie down and relax for ten minutes, before removing the pack and washing your face with warm water.

Some face packs stiffen as they dry, and it is rather a strange sensation as you become encased in a close-fitting mask. The shrinkage of this type of pack as it cools also tightens the skin, and it is absolutely fatal to laugh, or even to talk. This is why it is best to do this job in private, as some wag in the family will always make rude remarks which either force you answer back or make you burst out laughing, according to l you feel about things. This violent movement of the face muscles will just crack up the pack and make it a lot less effective.

The various carriers for packs are defined with the herbs used under Face Packs in the COSMETIC section and inch Yoghourt and Clay Powder, Eggs, Oil and Linseed.

Wild Herb Face Packs

The leaves of fresh herbs are chopped, crushed and simmered for about ten minutes until they make a thick mash. Use just enough water to stop them from burning, rather like cooking, spinach. Spread the herb on thin muslin and slap it straight on; to the face. After fifteen minutes, remove the pack and wash with warm water and lemon juice.

Dosage

Unless otherwise stated the standard infusion of I oz per pint of water is taken in wineglassful doses three times a day. Where dosage is smaller, it is stated, and where dosage can be almost unlimited, this too is noted. Herbal Teas are infusions made in a different way and are usually mild and are drunk for tonic and refreshing purposes, just. as one drinks ordinary tea. If herbs are being taken medicinally in any quantity, then ordinary infusions, etc. should be made' and used as directed in this chapter. Milk Based Herbal Drinks are in fact another form of infusion' and should be treated as such as far as dosage is concerned. Green Drinks Keep the proportions of leaves and water the same as for infusions; i.e. three handfuls of green leaves to pint of water, or I handful to one third of a pint, and take dosages as recommended for infusions. Decoctions being slightly stronger, are usually taken in tea spoonful doses, straight or mixed with wine or water, 3 time a day. Tinctures The dosage is noted with individual recipes. Syrups These are made by adding infusions or decoctions honey or sugar. Add the normal dosage of infusion or decoction, except where stated otherwise, and take three times day. In other words, a pint of standard infusion, added honey or sugar, no matter what the boiled-down quantity 'urns out to be, is still five doses.

Unpleasant drinks may be sweetened with honey, or perhaps taken in milk instead of water, and sweetened or flavoured in any way you like. It is a matter of taste, and a pinch of some ,pace that you like may mask a vile brew. Bitterness is usually :he problem. Most herbs which smell pleasant, taste the same.

So, to save space and continual repetition, unless it varies from the above, dosage is not mentioned in the materia medica.

1 pint of liquid equals 5 wineglassful doses

Don't give herbal remedies to small babies except where specifically stated. Children over six may be given half doses of weak infusions and decoctions, but dosage should be stopped immediately if it has any bad effects. I think that the real problem with children is that many herb medicines are not particularly nice to take, and where the adult will knock it back quickly, the child sips it and spits it out or sicks it up. A little bit of sugar makes the medicine go down, definitely!

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Chapter 7

Herbs For Cosmetics

... of composed water, six spoonful, as much of rose water, a quarter of an ounce of fine sugar, two grains of musk, two grains of ambergris, two of civet, boil softly together, and the house will smell of musk.

For the distillation of King Henry VIII's Perfume.

Since the ancient Greeks and Romans bathed in asses' milk, and probably long before that, everyone has known that the finest cosmetics are organic. Women of all civilisations (and quite a few men) have used cosmetics made from natural sources; hog's fat, lanolin from sheep's wool; and henna, indigo and saffron as natural dyes, and the juices of many different herbs to improve their looks or sweeten them up in one way or another. There are so many tales, but I think one of the best is that of the discovery of rose-water. There was this young, beautiful and handsome, Eastern royal couple who got married, and part of the ceremony was that they should be rowed about on a lake, which had previously been strewn with rose petals. They were insufficiently preoccupied, it seems, and noticed an oily iridescent look about the surface of the water. Being curious, they sampled it, to find that it smelt sweetly of roses. They were also intelligent enough to deduce what had happened-the hot sun had released the essential oil of the rose petals into the water.

Since then the makers of cosmetics and perfumes have never ceased to experiment with different herbs, not only for their scents, but for their beautifying properties. We know nowadays about hormones, and vitamins, and astringents, etc., and can identify them. The beauticians produce any number of cosmetics, most of which contain some kind of herbal ingredient, and there are many who make a specialty of producing herbal cosmetics, which can be bought at any chemist's. Yet you can make up a lot of them for yourself, very cheaply.

In this section of the book, I have given the basic herbal cosmetics, and in the PREPARATIONS Chapter there are details of how to extract oils, make up creams, etc. But except for these oils and simple infusions of scented flowers, pot pourri and herbal pillows, you won't find anything about making scent. This is a highly specialist and difficult job, and many expensive ingredients are used to `fix' the scent, and to get it right. Scent contains alcohol so is taxed heavily. One must limit oneself for all practical purposes, to flower waters and a washes, and oils rather than scents.

Because so many herbs have internal as well as external effects, it is usually commonsense and only logical to take internally the same herbs that you are using cosmetically; except where it is specifically stated that a herb is for external use only, or where, on checking you find that the herb in x question may have side effects which, right now, you don't want! The correct organic foods have direct effects upon skin condition, hair condition, etc., and any dietitian will tell you, , for instance, that uncooked salad eaten daily, with added herbs for flavouring, and sea salt, if you need salt at all, will improve general condition. Any herb high in calcium, phosphates, etc., is good for teeth, fingernails, bones and hair.: Parsley contains Vitamin A precursor which is excellent for the skin, so eat plenty of it. There hasn't been room in this book to detail every known salt, oil, trace element, or vitamin, which each herb contains, and why they are good for you, but the fact is, they are.

Health and beauty are so interdependent that it is hard to say where one stops and the other begins, so it may be that you will find under the medical section something for which your have looked without success in cosmetics (use the index). Eyes, for instance. The lotions mentioned in this chapter are'. just as good for inflammation, styes, etc., as for general condition, and some of those mentioned in the medical chapter for' sore eyes, are equally good as tonics. Use the index to find cross references.

Nails And Teeth

Because any herb which contains body-building factors such as calcium (and there are many others) will improve the general condition of tooth enamel, finger nails, hair and skin, don't be a bit surprised if a course of one herbal medicine taken for quite another purpose has the side effect of improving your looks and health generally. In fact most tonic herbs will do just that. Just one or two herbs which will have a direct cosmetic effect on nails and teeth are worth emphasising.

Nails Horsetail is excellent for nails. Finger baths in strong infusions as often as possible, for as long as you like, will strengthen weak, splitting nails.

Dill improves finger nails. Eat either the leaves raw in salads, or sprinkle the raw seeds over vegetables. Or make infusions of seeds or leaves or both, and take it regularly.

Oats. Oatmeal, taken medicinally or as food strengthens weak nails.

Teeth Horsetail taken in half strength infusions strengthens teeth enamel. Oats and Seakale, taken medicinally or as food, have the same effect.

Tooth Powders Herbal tooth powders and some raw herbs, clean the teeth and strengthen the gums. Believe it or not, Strawberries whiten the teeth and remove tartar. No harm in eating plenty of Strawberries! The roots dried and powdered of either Strawberry or Waterdock make first rate medicinal dentifrice.

Fresh Sage leaves rubbed on to the teeth whiten and clean them and also have a strengthening effect upon the gums. Sage leaves and sea salt pounded well together and then baked hard, and repounded to powder, make good stain-removing dentifrice.

Vegetable charcoal, made by burning bread and pounding it to powder, is good natural tooth powder, but it is a little unpleasant to use and makes a black mess. Flavouring it with essential oil of either Peppermint or Cloves helps a little.

Make up a compound tooth powder, which should clean teeth, and strengthen gums, and disinfect the mouth from the following:

Equal Parts of: Orris Root, Bayberry Bark, Bistort Root, and prepared Chalk, all powdered together.

Bad Breath

It is not inappropriate here to go straight on to the subject of bad breath for which there are several remedies. Bad breath may be coming from the teeth or from the stomach, but in either case, mouth washes (see below), gargles and drinks which contain any strong-smelling herb will help; and may also cure the cause as well as the symptoms.

If you don't mind strong tastes, chew Juniper Berries or Cloves. Use infusions of either Lavender, Marjoram, or :, Summer Savory as fragrant mouth washes.

An extremely pleasant remedy, but a little more complicated and expensive, is a mixture of: I pint of Sherry, with 2 oz each of powdered Cloves and Nutmeg, and a pinch each of ground Cinnamon, and Caraway. Screw the bottle tightly and shake it often. A few drops of this mixture eaten on a lump of sugar, or added to water and used as a gargle, will give you very spicy breath for a few hours! ' Mouth Washes Please look under this heading in the Medical ;' section. To avoid repetition, and because one normally uses mouth washes for sore gums, etc., rather than cosmetically, a they are not included here.

Hair

Any general tonic will inevitably improve hair conditions, but there are specific herbs used cosmetically on the hair.

Dandruff is included in this section, but skin diseases which affect the scalp will be better treated by some of the skin remedies in that section of the Materia Medica. If any of the remedies makes the scalp too sensitive, rub in a little sweet oil.

Tonics which Stimulate Hair Growth and Strengthen It

Infusions made up individually, rubbed into the scalp or used as rinses. Lime Flowers, Nettles, Horsetail, Burdock Root, Quince Peel.

Made-up Mixtures Chamomile combined with Yarrow (Blonde Hair only); Rosemary combined with Red Sage (Dark Hair only)

Equal quantities of Burdock Root and Archangel leaves boiled in two parts of water and one part of vinegar. Allow to stand for a few days, then strain. Rub into the roots of the hair.

The mixture of herbs given under Oils below, infused together makes an excellent rinse.

To Take Dill, either eat the raw leaves or seeds, or sprinkle the seeds on salads and vegetables. Or take infusions of either.

Oats eaten in any form.

Oils Essential oil made from Stinging Nettles rubbed into the scalp.

Equal parts of Lime Flowers, Chamomile and Fennel, plus half parts of Rosemary, Yarrow and Horsetail, (for blonde hair snore Chamomile, for dark hair more Rosemary), steeped in oil. (See under Essential Oils in Preparation chapter.) Massage into the scalp before washing.

Colouring Darken hair by brushing it regularly with infusions of Red Sage or Rosemary, or the two mixed together.

To brighten light hair, use an infusion of Chamomile Flowers, brushed on, or added to a shampoo.

Dandruff Infusions of Rosemary with a little borax added, used daily, and massaged into the hair roots.

Infusions of Stinging Nettles, or Parsley, or Southernwood, or Red Sage, massaged in daily.

Shampoo Powdered Chamomile mixed with an infusion of Soapwort Leaves, makes a shampoo for fair hair.

If you wish to make shampoos out of any of the tonic herbs mentioned, there is no reason why the infusions should not be mixed with that of Soapwort leaves. Soapwort was for years the cottagers' substitute for soap for all its external uses.

Eyes

I have only included in this cosmetic section general tonics for tired eyes and eye-brighteners, as it seems to me more logical to give treatments for inflammation, styes, etc. in the medical section. Please refer to the medical section on eyes, as the remedies there do have simple tonic effects as well as being curative.

Tonic And Soothing Eye Lotions.

Infusions Individually made up of: Borage, Corn flour, Elder-flowers, Golden Seal, Hyssop, Poppy, Quince Root, Rue, Vervain, Aniseed, Caraway Seed, Fennel Seed, or Eyebright. Mixtures made up of:

Equal parts of: Aniseed, Caraway Seed and Fennel Seed.

Plus larger parts of: Eyebright, Chamomile, Fennel, Cornflower and Marigold petals.

Plus smaller parts of: Lovage, Horsetail, Summer Savory, Verbena, Ladies Mantle, Yarrow.

Plus still smaller parts of: Rosemary, Thyme and Mugwort.

You will have to use dried herbs for this, or it would be such a huge pile, and impossible to measure. Steep one dessert spoonful of this mixture in a pint of boiling water, strain, and allow to cool. It makes enough for several applications.

Tincture: A teaspoonful of tincture of Eyebright in a Wine: glassful of water.

Use: Any of the foregoing may be used as Lotions to bathe the eyes, as Eyebaths, or as Eye Compresses. Use the liquids neither. too hot nor too cold, just at a comfortable lukewarm temperature.

Eye Pack: Groundsel, pulped up, is placed directly on the eyes.

Face And Skin

Facial treatments by herbal methods, have, down the ages, and still are engrossing cosmeticians. All those included here are for general cosmetic use and will help to remove and cure slight spots and blemishes, but for treatments of more serious skin complaints, look under SKIN in the medical section.

Face Washes

Infusions made up individually:

Lemon Balm, Lime Flowers (for wrinkles).

Elder Flowers, Leaves or Berries (for spots and as a general skin tonic). Also supposed to remove freckles, although these pigmentation spots cannot ever be completely removed. Watercress (for spots and blemishes)

Cinquefoil, Sage and Witch Hazel (all astringents) Marigold (a good healer)

Coltsfoot, Chamomile or Yarrow (for dilated facial veins) Made up as Mixtures Combinations of any of the above herbs make good washes.

Marigold and Witch Hazel together make a fine dual purpose mixture, astringent and healing.

Essences Meadowsweet Essence, made by sun steeping (see Preparation, Chapter 6).

Lotions Using these same herbs, make up Ointments, Creams, and Lotions.

Compresses Cold compresses may be made from any of the above herbs, but there are some special herbs and some special instructions which should be followed before using compresses (see Preparation, Chapter 6).

Those who have dilated veins in the face, should not use alternative hot or cold compresses, or very cold compresses, they just dilate the veins further. If you have dry skin, first wipe it over with pure olive oil, before using cold compresses.

Cold Compresses Use infusions of Sage or Ladies Mantle, or Peppermint.

Alternative Hot and Cold Compresses Use infusions of Yarrow.

Facial Steam

Facial steam should never be used if your skin is oversensitive to heat, or has a lot of little veins showing, but it is excellent for thick skins, or skins with impurities, blackheads, spots, etc. Steam should only be used about once a week. Those who suffer from heart trouble, or breathing difficulties such as asthma, should not use facial steam, except where inhaling steam is specifically prescribed as a treatment for those conditions. If you do have spots or blackheads, never squeeze them out with fingers, even after steaming; use the rounded end of a warmed spoon, and press gently round the area until the blackhead pops.

Any of the following herbs may be used singly or in mixtures to make facial steams:

Sage, Peppermint, Basil, Chamomile Flowers, Lime Flowers, Elderflowers, Marigold Petals, Nasturtium Flowers, Cornflowers, Lavender Flowers, Mullein Flowers, Nettle Leaves, Fennel, Harrow, Salad Burnet, and Ladies Mantle. All of these have either healing properties, or smell nice, or both.

Face Packs

Having opened up the pores with facial steam, some people like to go straight ahead with a face pack to complete the treatment.

For Method see Preparation, Chapter 6.

Yoghourt and Clay Powder: These bleach and clear the skin. Add a little honey, and the following herbs:

Strong infusion of Fennel, for wrinkles.
Strong infusion of Yarrow, for greasy skin.
Fresh Elderflowers, for stimulating the skin, rather than soothing it.
Infusion of Sage (small proportion), for large pores.
Infusion of Horsetail (small proportion), for large pores.

Eggs Egg yolk is good for dry skin. Make up a kind of mayonnaise with egg yolk, drops of olive oil, lemon juice and Fennel, beaten together until it is stiff enough to use. White of egg is a little astringent, so don't use it too often. Beat the egg white and add a few drops of lemon and chopped green or dried Yarrow. This is good for large pores and greasy skin. I don't suggest that when finished with, these mixtures should be used as salad dressing or meringue, but any surplus certainly could be!

Oil Pure olive oil is good for ageing skins. Put the oil into a bowl which stands in turn in boiling water, so that the oil is heated up a little. Take a piece of cotton wool big enough to cover the face, and sponge up the heated oil with it. Put it over your face and keep it there until it is quite cold. Wipe the surplus oil off your skin with clean cotton wool. Then make a compress (See Preparation, Chapter 6) with warm infusions of Chamomile and Yarrow or Peppermint, or Sage, and finish with a cold water compress for just a second or two.

Linseed Boil Linseed in water until it becomes thick and slimy. Add a little Chamomile infusion and use it as an anti-inflammatory face pack.

Wild Herb Packs Use these packs once a week, that is quite often enough, unless you have some really bad blackheads or spots to clear up. Use the following herbs:

Combined: Dandelion and Nettle.

Individually: Dandelion, Nettle, Cowslip, Daisy, Yarrow or Blackberry Leaves.

All these will refresh and heal.

Useful Non-herbal Additives to Face Packs Not really out of place here as they are organic. Curd, Buttermilk, Cucumber juice, or Lemon juice (bleaching and astringent). Honey (tonic). Yeast, which can be dissolved in milk, yogurt or buttermilk, and thickened with clay powder is an excellent tonic pack for greasy skins.

Pot Pourri

One of the most satisfactory ways of making use of flowers and herbs for their scent alone, pot pourri, doesn't really come under the heading of either Health or Beauty, unless to have your home and your linen smelling of blossom and spices makes it beautiful and you cheerful. When making infusions or essential oils, or even wines and preserves there is always some kind of pressure; the job has to be done to timetable. Pot pourri, on the other hand, goes on all the time, or can be left alone for months. It can be perpetually added to and altered and used just where and when you want it. At a pinch it can even be eaten! I have never forgotten the occasion when I saw my husband across the other side of the room, at a cocktail party where the bits and pieces had run out, consider a bowl on the sideboard which contained what looked rather like variegated potato crisps. After a few moments he reached out and took not one piece, but a small handful, and popped it into his mouth. The expression on his face as he got the taste and texture of what was, in fact, very stale pot pourri of rose petals, was a mixture of shock and disgust, but in the circumstances he couldn't just spit it out. It didn't do him any harm and he washed it down with the glassful of alcohol in his other hand. In fact it probably did him good!

The easiest way to make pot pourri is to put a collection of coloured, scented petals in a glass bowl with a tight-fitting lid. The flower petals are mixed in layers with aromatic herbs and spices, as listed below. The bowl should be kept in the dark until the room is about to be used, and then brought out and opened. Many people keep bowls of petals continually exposed to sun and air, and they just loose all their lovely smell, go .faintly musty and the petals turn into those dingy potato crisps mentioned above. Kept in glass bowls, covered and in the dark when not in use, the petals retain their colour and look as pretty as they smell.

Of course the mixtures can be varied to suit your own preferences. First dry the flower petals very carefully and slowly preferably in an airing cupboard without damp clothes in it, or even in a cooling oven, but always in the dark. This preserves colour and aroma.

Lavender flowers, Elderflowers, Chamomile flowers, Nasturtiums, Cornflowers, Lime flowers, Marigold petals and Rose petals. The heavier-scented deep red roses are particularly attractive. Violets, Lily of the Valley, Mignonette. Lots of others such as Lilac, not mentioned in this book, are equally suitable.

Leaves of Peppermint, Sweet Cecily, Sage, Rosemary, Angelica, Lemon Thyme, Balm, Bergamot, Lovage, Tarragon, Marjoram and Lemon Verbena.

Whole Cloves, broken Cinnamon sticks, fresh-ground Nutmeg, ground Coriander, Cardamon, broken Aniseed, and dried and crushed Lemon, Orange and Grapefruit peel; and powdered Orris Root.

Moist Pot Pourri which will keep for years and years, is a little more difficult to make successfully, and perhaps is not quite so useful, although it retains its smell and is extremely useful for linen cupboards, spare bedrooms, etc. It is made mainly with flower petals and a few herbs, Balm, Rosemary and Thyme being the best, and with powdered Orris Root to supply the spicy smell. The petals and leaves must be dried out and then put into a jar in layers. Between each layer, sprinkle a mixture of two parts of sea salt and one part of powdered Orris Root, then more petals and so on until the jar is full. When the jar is full, close it tightly, and leave it in a dark place for a month. Then open it up, stir everything together and add enough rose water to moisten all the petals. This time close the jar with a layer or two of muslin tied tightly down, and only open it up from time to time to re-moisten the petals with a little spirit, preferably brandy, if it has lost its scent. This will rejuvenate the pot pourri.

Herb Pillows

These are just bags stuffed with herbs. Obviously dried herbs must be used, and the pillowcases must not leak powdered herbs all over the place. I suggest that the herbs are first put into muslin bags with an outer case over the top which can be removed just like an ordinary pillow case for washing. How big or how full you make your pillow is up to you, but as substitutes for ordinary pillows, they can be uncomfortable and even noisy to sleep upon, which rather destroys the object of a herb pillow, which is to induce sleep by its pleasant smell and the mildly sedative qualities of the herbs used. Personally, I make a small and flattish pillow which goes beneath the ordinary one on which my head rests, and this is quite sufficient to send me to sleep and sweet dreams.

Quite apart from their use to induce sleep, they are refreshing and pleasant for anyone who is ill, or recovering in bed from illness, perhaps in a hospital where the pervading smell is of antiseptics and anaesthetics; for the elderly or anyone who is wholly or partially bedridden. A nice small herb pillow would make a wonderful present for a sick friend, far better than a bunch of grapes (which the nurses will eat) or a box of chocolates (which everyone will eat), or even a bunch of flowers which will die too soon in a stuffy bedroom or hospital ward.

A few bruised fresh Marjoram leaves, put inside a pillow case will induce sleep, but smell far too strongly to be used by themselves to fill a whole pillow.

Dried Hops are most commonly used in pillows to induce sleep.

Garden Mignonette has the same effect, and can be included in pillow mixtures, such as the following:

Equal parts of: Peppermint, Sage, Lemon Balm.

Half as much again of: Lavender.

Then add the following to total half as much again as all of these: Dill, Marjoram, Thyme, Tarragon, Woodruff, Angelica, Sweet Cecily, Rosemary, Red Bergamot, Lemon Verbena and Lemon Thyme.

But do vary the herbs or leave out any you don't like.

Bath Additions

Many herbs can be added to bathwater, either by themselves or mixed together, differing herbs for their different properties. Some just for their lovely smell or to stimulate, some to make you feel sleepy or to cure skin conditions, some as deodorants, others as general tonics.

Obviously you can't just scatter handfuls of flowers or leaves into the water. It could be most uncomfortable, but there are several ways to add herbs, and unless otherwise stated any of them will serve.

Infusions of herbs, singly or mixed, are strained and added direct to the bath water.

Perfumed Oils in small amounts release their scent into the water and steam and make the water a little oily which many people find pleasant.

Herbs in Muslin Bags Dried or fresh herbs are put into muslin bags with a draw string, so that they hang under the hot tap and make a kind of direct infusion. Or the bags, half filled with fresh or dried herbs with a couple of tablespoonful of dried oatmeal, swished around in the water until the milkiness has gone, add a pleasant quality to the water and can be used two or three times provided that they still produce scent and that the oatmeal hasn't fermented in the bag. No good for the one-bath-a-week type.

Additives for Skin Disorders

Individually: Peppermint or Horsetail (fresh or dried) Mixture totaling, about 10 oz: Dried Lovage, Chamomile, Peppermint, Rosemary, Fennel, Sage and Yarrow. Obviously it would be a job to make this mixture from fresh herbs, as it would mean making an infusion of a great pile of fresh herbs, or putting them in a huge bag.

Additives to Make Pleasant Scents, Some of Which are Mildly Tonic

Elderflowers, Chamomile, Melilot, Lavender, Rosemary, Basil, Burgamot, Hyssop, Balm, Marjoram, Lovage and Pine needles.

Use these individually, either fresh or dried, and in any of ways detailed above.

Sprouts from young coniferous trees, Pine, Fir, Larch, and juniper, infused in boiling water, will produce that favourite pine scent, and are mildly stimulating.

For Insomnia: Add a few Cowslip Flowers to the mixture given under Additives for Skin Disorders.

Additive for Nervous Exhaustion: Infusion of Valerian root added to the water will act as a tonic and at the same time calm you down if you are suffering from nervous exhaustion, over work, etc.

General Purpose Wild Herb Mix

Use Dandelion, Nettle and small quantities of the flowers: and roots of Cowslip (not the leaves of the latter). Dry them and infuse in 6 pints of hot water for half an hour. Strain the' liquid into your hot bath.

Foot Baths

For tired feet add infusions of the following herbs to a foot bath.

Mixed: Horsetail and seasalt.

Individually: Marigold leaves. Lavender Leaves or Ladies Bedstraw.

After using a foot bath, a rub over the feet with essential o' of Marigold petals does reduce soreness and tiredness.

Alternative hot and cold baths for feet and legs are very refreshing and will make them feel a lot less tired. You need one plastic bucket full of hot water and another full of cold water; or bigger containers such as those small plastic waste bins if you must get both feet in at the same time! Add a strong infusion of Lime flowers or Rosemary to the hot water and sit with your legs in it for ten minutes. Then just dip your feet into the cold water and back into the hot for another ten minutes, by which time the hot water will have cooled down. Give your legs a final rinse off in the cold bath, and that's it.

Powdered Mustard mixed with very hot water makes a well known chill-preventative foot bath particularly if you've been caught out in cold and drenching rain.

De-Odorants

To bathe in sweet-smelling water is to de-odorise oneself anyway, but an infusion of Givers makes a good underarm lotion which will neutralise acid perspiration.

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Chapter 8 

You must not think, courteous people, that I can spend time to give you examples of all diseases. These are enough to let you see so much light as you without art are able to receive. If I should get you to look at the sun, I should dazzle your eyes, and make you blind.

(Nicholas Culpeper)

Herbal Medicine

Every herb contains some substance peculiar to itself to its plant family, as well as others common to many herbs but it is for specific substances that we use individual herbs. In the past these substances were called `simples' and the plants themselves also came to be called `simples', because they were the simple constituent of the mixture of herbs used in herbal medicine. Plants contain mineral salts, alkaloids, tannins, glycosides, acids, volatile oils, mucilage, and vitamins in organic forms. They have absorbed from the earth many chemical substances such as sulphur, phosphorus and iron, and can pass them on to us in a form which can be directly assimilated into our blood streams and so into body tissues. Many of these substances have now been analysed and are known exactly.

Although there has not been room to detail every substance found in every herb mentioned, I think that a few notes about these substances and their properties should be very useful, to help you to understand some of the reasons why herbs work.

First of all, alkaloids, glycosides and tannins, etc., known collectively as the `Bitter Principles', are present in plants which taste bitter. They improve secretions of mucus in the mouth, and stomach juices, in fact all types of secretion., so they often help with digestive and liver troubles and anything which is a result of faulty secretion. Glycosides aren't fully understood yet, but they contain one part which is sugar and another which is without sugar. Tannins also have a vide effect upon mucous membranes, so work on all organs such as intestines, lined with mucous membranes. Alkaloids have varying effects upon the body, usually fairly violent.

Saponins lather slightly in water, and are Glycosides, used externally for their soapy effect rather than internally, although they are present in many plants, as they are not readily digested. Mineral Salts are extremely important in plants as potassium, calcium etc, which have a direct body-building effect. Acids such as silicic acid, also build up tissue. Organic Acids, such as citric acid, are mainly laxative. Mucilage; lots of plants contain mucilage which is slimy and therefore laxative; and soothing because it protects the mucous membranes and allows them to heal by covering them. Volatile Oils. The part of the herb which makes it smell. Oils have all kinds of other effects upon the body, yet are the constituents easiest to lose by bad harvesting, drying and preparation.

Professional herbal practitioners make a wide study of the uses of herbs, both traditional, and in the light of modern analysis. They learn how to combine different herbs to give different results. One herb with several properties may be combined with another and be helpful with rheumatism, and :With yet another will act more directly upon the kidneys. The recipes and suggestions in this book are intended as a guide For the layman. Herbal infusions and medicines only provide -weak doses as their contents are pretty diluted by infusions, etc. and many of them have long-term results. Combinations of several herbs will obviously be stronger and only experience and use and study will turn you into an expert herbalist. Most -herbal medicines do not provide immediate and spectacular cures, but are gentle in action and give relief, and perform cures over a period of time. You have got to keep it up. Except for those herbs which staunch bleeding or produce sweats to reduce fever, or contain gentle sedatives to make you sleep or lessen pain; the effect is cumulative or has much in common with homeopathy. The herbalist knows and believes that the body itself is capable of resisting diseases if it is fit, and that herbal medicines help to build up that fitness and resistance by natural non-chemical methods, and that herbs help the body to bet rid of poisons. It is quite usual for herbal medicines to bring you out in spots and produce filthy tongues, after a week or so. This is the poisons `coming out' and the conditions will Gear up as the body cleanses itself.

So much of our food is the end product of factory processing. Bread in particular, made from white flour from which the whole germ has been removed, is just pure starch without the Vitamin B contained in the husk, and without albumen. There are many other ruined foods about, either chemically treated to preserve them or with some vital element removed. It is now almost impossible unless you isolate yourself on some island and grow every single thing you eat, not to eat some ruined food. Even then the very rainwater will carry pollutants from the atmosphere. So what does it all boil down to? It is almost impossible to opt out, to avoid the spoiled food, the polluted water and air, and flesh loaded with mercury or some other obnoxious thing, but it is a waste of time getting cranky about it. One just has to pray that the incredible powers of adjustment of the human body will work faster than the flame travels along the fuse. Nevertheless I am totally certain that there is nothing but good to be gained from eating natural foods, naturally grown; pure water, and herbal medicines.

At the same time, it is best not to forget that our ancestors had little but herbal medicine and died like flies from disease: Herbs didn't protect them from infection where modern medicine, antiseptics and cleanliness protect us. There are herbal remedies for almost every ill you care to mention, but I feel very strongly that herbs should be used in conjunction with and not instead of modern medicine and surgery. On reading old herbals, one finds any number of treatments for consumption (pulmonary tuberculosis) especially for arresting the hemorrhages which occur in the later stages of the disease. This is a disease which has by modern medicine been reduced from an extremely common killer to a fairly rare one, in this country at any rate. We have just replaced it by smoking the herb tobacco, and substituting the resultant lung cancer and heart troubles. I would for instance, suggest to anyone unfortunate enough to get T.B., that herbal remedies would be of great help not only to relieve symptoms, and to cure them, but should be used with, and not instead of, modern medical methods. To put it even more simply, only a surgeon can stitch up a huge gash, or set a greenstick fracture, but the appropriate herbs, washes, infusions or medicines will go a long way towards helping the wound to heal, the scar to be slight, and the bone to set well.

Surely too, it goes without saying, although here I am stressing it, that fresh air, sunshine, plenty of sleep, and plenty ,f exercise are ways of keeping the body disease-resistant for which there are no substitutes.

Poisonous Herbs For obvious reasons poisonous herbs have ,jot been included in this book, although minute doses of some ,arts of them were and are used by some herbalists. Many herbalists feel that the use of these herbs is not justified in any circumstances. The same applies to herbs with very violent effects. However, if any concoction has a bad effect, makes you `eel sick or dizzy for instance, stop taking it at once. Where it s stressed that doses should be small or not too frequent, stick to the instructions.

Special Herbs There is a problem for anyone who tries to write a herbal book. If each herb had just one effect it would be -1asy, but almost all of them have so many properties which act more or less strongly on different parts of the body. If you rasp the principle that our bodies are all of a piece and every cell is interdependent upon every other cell, and that the same applies to every plant, you will also understand why it is very difficult to be dogmatic about what each herb will or will not o. On the whole the herbs do fall into categories and are perhaps better treatments for one thing than they are for mother, but the best herbs of all, and there are a dozen or so, re so good and so widespread in their effects that both internally and externally, they are really `cure alls'. I have noted some of the specific uses under appropriate headings, and listed them as general tonics, which they are. But quite honestly one or two of them should come in under every heading because they are beneficial for every ill.

Comfrey, Garlic, Marigold,, Marsh Mallow, Nettles and Vervain, are just a few `cure alls' which traditionally and now medically come under this heading. There are fashions in these things, but on the whole widespread belief in the efficacy of a -particular herb comes from widespread experience. Garlic in particular, right through Europe, except for the U.K., is regarded as not only a splendid flavouring but as an excellent medicine. I once asked a Czech friend of mine (with whom I only had a few words of German in common) why she used so much garlic in her cooking. She just replied 'Gesund', Healthy'. Many stockmen use garlic as a tonic for sick animals and some feed it regularly whether they are sick or not.

Comfrey has long been regarded as a plant with remarkable healing properties and now quite a lot of clinical work analysis has been done on the plant and its uses, with some startling results. It has definitely cured some malignant ulcers, and has a general healing effect which is attributed to its, content of a substance known as `Allantoin'. Should you be interested in reading much more fully about this plant there is a small book about it (see bibliography) available. There are several other herbs traditionally used to cure tumours, which may prove to be especially helpful in curing some forms of cancer-it is the full-scale research which is lacking.

Throughout the `Materia Medica' or Medical Section which follows, ailments have been grouped and kept in a sequence which I hope is convenient. There is bound to be some repetition, but use the index to find the illness if it doesn't seem to be included where it should be! Almost without exception I've stuck to the terms which we normally use to describe our troubles rather than exact medical terms, which don't mean much to any but doctors and nurses.

SECTION I. EXTERNAL AILMENTS

PART I. STINGS, SUNBURN, BURNS, CHILBLAINS, WARTS, CORNS, RASHES, ECZEMA, ERYSIPELAS, IMPETIGO, RINGWORM, PLICA POLONICA, SPOTS, ACNE, BOILS, ABSCESSES, WHITLOWS.

Use the remedies suggested below. Cooling and soothing herbs may be excellent treatments for conditions not specifically mentioned here. Several herbs crop up again and again, so you can take it that these are especially useful for all skin troubles, as they have remarkable healing and soothing properties.

STINGS

Fresh Bruised Leaves: The juice applied direct will ease pain and itching. Everyone knows about Dock for Stinging Nettles, but also use Houseleek, Onion, Plantain, or Scarlet Pimpernel.

Lotions: to relieve pain are made from infusions of Cornflowers, Hyssop, Houseleek, Elderflowers, leaves or berries, or Witchhazel.

SUNBURN AND BURNS

Any cooling herb will help.

Lotions: made from infusions of Witchhazel, Salad Burnet, Houseleek, Elderflowers, leaves or berries.

Ointments and Salves: are made from Houseleek, the young leaves Of Ground Ivy. Use the essential oils or pounded leaves of these herbs. If burns become infected or ulcerous, use any of the skin healing remedies below, particularly Marigold petals.

ECZEMA AND ERYSIPELAS

Take: infusions of Burdock, Birch leaves or Blackberry leaves.

Lotions: are made from stronger infusions of Burdock, Blackberry leaves, Strawberry leaves, or decoctions of Golden Seal or Soapwort.

IMPETIGO AND RINGWORM

Juice: of crushed Borage leaves is applied direct to patches of ringworm.

Lotion: Use decoctions of Golden Seal or infusions of Elder. Infusions of Heartsease are fine for all moist cutaneous eruptions. Apply essential oil from Birch Bark direct to patches.

ACNE, SPOTS, BOILS, ABSCESSES, WHITLOWS, PLICA POLONICA

Lotions or Compresses: Infusions of the following herbs:

Houseleek, Burdock, Pennywort, Elderflowers, leaves or berries, Marigold, Pennyroyal, Plantain, Sorrel, Vervain, Golden Seal, Marshmallow or Thyme. Or use an infusion of Valerian root, which must always be slowly heated up and not boiled.

Fresh Leaf Poultice: made from Houseleek, Clivers, Water Dock, Honeysuckle, Marigold Petals, Violets, Plantain, Sorrel.

Hot Poultices: made from Chickweed, Marshmallow, Hops, Thyme, Groundsel, Slippery Elm, and infusions of Ragwort (external only, Ragwort is not recommended for internal use).

Ointments and Salves: for all kinds of skin eruptions are made either from infusions or the essential oils of Houseleek or Pennywort, or the bruised leaves of Periwinkle (especially for Plica Polonica), Waterdock, Violet or Yarrow.

Face Packs: Clay powder mixed with infusions of Yarrow or Coltsfoot are specially good for acne.

Compress: made with Marigold petals will help to heal all scars.

CHILBLAINS

Houseleek, made into fresh leaf poultices or ointments, or Lungwort infusions used as a lotion, are especially good, but this is a circulatory trouble, and these treatments will only help the skin surface.

WARTS

Juice of Houseleek, or the white juice of Dandelion stalks, or from the base of the unripe seed capsules of Red Poppy, applied direct to warts should cure them, but warts are strange things which come and go for no apparent reason (if you except charming them away).

RASHES

Take: Burdock and Salad Burnet which are safe and effective herbs. Infused they are blood purifiers, and will relieve most rashes, as will small doses of infusions of Waterdock. Eat: Salad Burnet raw. Infusions of Nettle will relieve Nettle Rash" and Urticaria.

Lotions: Infusions of Burdock, Elderflowers, leaves and: berries, Strawberry fruit or leaves, for all rashes, Scarlet Pimpernel especially for nettlerash.

PART 2. ULCERS, CUTS, SCARS, EXTERNAL HAEMORRHAGES, BRUISES, SPRAINS, and SWELLINGS.

ULCERS

Lotions: All the following herbs may be used to promote healing. Use infusions or decoctions. Comfrey, Yellow Archangel, Marigold Flowers, Ladies Mantle, Sanicle, Bugle, Devil's Bit, Self Heal, Daisy leaves or flowers, St. John's Wort, or Yarrow.

Fresh Bruised Leaf Poultices: Comfrey, Houseleek, White Stonecrop, Self Heal, or Daisy.

Ointments or Salves: Sanicle, Bugle, Ladies Mantle or all three together. Houseleek, Adder's Tongue (Green Oil of Charity), Daisy, St. John's Wort, combined with Chamomile and Beeswax.

Take: infusions or decoctions from the following herbs to promote the healing of external ulcers; Comfrey, Marigold, Ladies Mantle, Birds' Foot Trefoil, Self Heal, Daisy.

Powdered Root or Bark applied direct: Marshmallow, Slippery Elm, Golden Seal.

CUTS AND BLEEDING

Lotions on pads of lint to staunch external bleeding, should be made from Periwinkle, Herb Robert root, Knapweed, Horsetail, Yellow or White Archangel, Shepherd's Purse, Goldenrod, Ladies Mantle, Bistort.

Direct Applications Powdered Bistort root. Crushed Sea Lavender flowers.

Ointments for wounds may be made from Wintergreen oil, Adder's Tongue or Yarrow.

Bruised Leaf Poultices of Salad Burnet.

All these herbs will staunch bleeding, and any of the herbs mentioned in other parts of this chapter which promote healing either taken internally or applied externally, can be used to help cuts and wounds to heal.

Dressing Pads Dried Sphagnum Moss makes an excellent dressing as it has healing properties and is extremely absorbent.

BRUISES, SPRAINS, AND SWELLINGS

Lotions or Cold Compresses Infusions of the following herbs will reduce swelling and relieve bruises: Witchhazel, Golden Rod, Devil's Bit, Houseleek, Marigold, Yellow or White Archangel, Sweet Cicely. .

Rubs Wintergreen oil or ointment. Essential Oil of Valerian in solution in surgical spirit.

Fresh Leaf Poultices Devil's Bit root or leaves, bruised and applied direct, will reduce discolouration.

Take infusions of Daisy or Marigold.

All of these remedies will reduce the swelling, get rid of discolouration, and reduce pain.

PART 3. EYES AND EYELIDS.

Some of the milder treatments for tired eyes have already been mentioned in the cosmetic section, but there are lots of herbs which are good general eye tonics, help to get rid of inflammation and styes, or which will help to heal eyes damaged by bruising or other injury. The lotions are applied either by bathing with pieces of cotton wool, or by using eye compresses (see Preparation, Chapter 6) or by using a small glass eyebath and tipping the head back. I find this last method messy; although one can blink and wash the eye well, the lotion runs down one's face and neck. Infusions are used for baths. Occasionally poulticing is necessary to bring styes to a head. Always be very careful to strain eye lotions well, through fine muslin or even filter paper, because small pieces of herb, just like any other `foreign body' will be very uncomfortable, if they get into your eyes.

GENERAL TONIC FOR TIRED OR WEAK EYES

Take infusions of: Agrimony, Comfrey leaves or flowers, Eyebright root, Hawkweed.

Lotions or Compresses of: Chickweed and Rose leaves together. Angelica seeds, Borage, Eyebright, Hyssop, Rue, Horsetail, Verbena (Vervain).

A splendid general eyebath is made as follows: I part each Eyebright, Chamomile, Cornflower, Fennel and Marigold petals. I x 1/2 part each of Lovage, Horsetail, Summer Savory, Verbena, Ladies Mantle and Yarrow, and 1/4 part each of Thyme, Rosemary and Mugwort. Use dried herbs, or the quantities of herbs will be difficult to measure. Mix all the herbs together and steep one heaped teaspoonful in a cup of boiling water for, five minutes, and strain before use.

EYE INJURIES

Juice Apply Comfrey juice for its incredible healing properties to injured eyes, or use decoctions of the root or herb. Take an infusion of the leaves and flowers of Comfrey at the same time.

GENERAL DISORDERS, INFLAMMATIONS, STYES, CONJUNCTIVITIS, etc.

Lotions Use infusions of the following herbs: Chamomile, Eyebright, Eyebright and Golden Seal combined, Fennel, Marshmallow, Poppies (an infusion from the seed capsules will relieve pain and smarting inflammations), Quince Peel, Strawberry leaves, Tansy (weak infusion only).

Poultice made from the crushed seeds of Nasturtiums will: treat styes.

Ointment prepared from fresh Ragwort treats inflammation of the eyes.

SECTION 2. INTERNAL AILMENTS PART I. TONICS, NERVINES, SEDATIVES, INSOMNIA.

I define a tonic as something which bucks me up, improves general condition, and helps it to stay improved. Herbs can do this by improving both physical and mental condition; which is why this section also includes Nervines, Sedatives, and sleep-inducing herbs. There are several herbs which are taken purely for their tonic effect, but it is so obvious that any herb which cures or alleviates chronic illness, calms overwrought nerves, etc., must also act as a tonic. There are some herbs which are really `cure alls'. They have so many good effects on the whole body that I have classed them as tonics and only noted them in specific sections where their effects are particularly marked. Perhaps it is a matter of finding the particular herb which suits you and sticking to it over the years, but beware of long term side effects! Home made beer is nothing more than a fermented infusion of hops, malt and sugar, activated by yeast. Both hops and yeast are noted for their tonic properties among others, and lots of people opt for home made beer as a lifelong tonic. It is unfortunate that alcoholism can be a side effect!

While on the subject of tonic herbs with direct mental effect, I would like to mention the work of Dr. Edward Bach M.B., B.S., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., D.P.H. This highly qualified doctor, working mainly in the 1920's came to the conclusion that various herbal extracts had a decided effect upon states of mind, and that in turn poor states of mind created situations within the body which made them more prone to disease. In 1930 he decided to devote his whole time to research and practice in simple herbal methods based on his theories. He found thirty-eight remedies in all, which can be taken along with any other medicine or treatment, and his methods and 'leas are set out in the books which you will find listed in the Bibliography. I will give here one or two examples of his remedies, but I do feel that if you are interested in this field of herbalism, it would be best to study his work in its entirety, rather than for me to give a random selection. His methods of preparing his herbal essences are slightly different from those usually employed, and once again I suggest you make direct reference to the books by Norah Weeks and Victor Bullen.

Honeysuckle For those whose thoughts dwell too much upon memories, events and happiness of the past.

Larch For those who lack confidence in themselves and fear' failure.

Mustard For the deep depression and gloom for which n explanation can be given.

Willow For resentfulness and bitterness.

As each herb may have differing actions, I have in this section discussed each one separately so that there shall be no mistake over its action.

Avens Once used to flavour Ale, has a good general tonic effect but must be taken as an infusion over a long period to do real good.

Borage and Bugloss Are both used to add to drinks, particularly borage, the fresh leaves lightly bruised being used for this purpose. The leaves of either plant are added to salads or eaten raw with bread and butter. They are general blood purifiers and nerve tonics, with slight stimulant effects.

Basil is a powerful tonic either eaten raw or taken as infusions.

Blackberry Either eaten raw or drunk as infusions of berries or leaves is a general tonic.

Chervil Eaten raw is a good general tonic for blood, nerves and digestion.

Chives Eaten raw are a good general tonic and appetiser.

Cinquefoil Infusions are a nerve sedative, sometimes given in cases of hysteria.

Clover Infusions of the flowers make a general tonic which soothes the nerves and promotes sleep.

Cowslip Is a mild sedative and anaesthetic. A few flower heads eaten raw or small doses of infusions of the flowers are antihysterical and will help you go to sleep if you are in pain.

Devil's Bit Infusions are a general nerve tonic.

Gladwyn Dried, powdered root made into weak infusion are anti-hysterical, and calm the nerves.

Hops Infusions are a nerve tonic and promote sleep. Hop pillows are supposed to do the same thing, but make me feel as if I was sleeping in a brewery!

Holly Infusions of holly leaves are a general tonic.

Iceland Moss Because it is highly nutritious, it is a tonic for general debility in young children or the elderly. Stir one teaspoonful in 1/2 cup of hot water, add 1/2 cup of hot milk, sweeten with honey and flavour to taste.

Kale (Seakale) Eaten raw or drunk as infusions, is an excellent general tonic for the whole system.

Lavender Infusions of the flowers make a soothing nerve tonic.

Lily of the Valley Infusions of the leaves, or decoctions of the root, taken in small doses night and morning are a calming nerve tonic and are also reckoned to strengthen the memory.

Mignonette Infusions are gently narcotic and will calm the nerves and induce sleep. Mixed with other herbs it will relieve pain.

Mistletoe Three or four berries, eaten when fasting, night and morning, are anti-hysterical, but mistletoe is strong medicine and NOT FOR CHILDREN.

Nettles One of the most useful general remedies and the whole plant from roots to seeds has its uses. Fine general tonic eaten as a vegetable, or taken in infusions.

Oats Although normally eaten as a basic food, are an excellent nerve tonic, and general tissue-building tonic to improve teeth, hair, nails, etc.

Peppermint Infusions are a good general tonic especially for nervous conditions.

Skullcap Infusions from the whole herb are sedative, and are useful in all kinds of nervous disorders from epilepsy to D.T.s.

Scarlet Pimpernel Infusions make a slightly stimulating nerve tonic, and a good general pick-me-up.

Stinking Arrach As its name implies is vile to take even as an infusion, but it is a good anti-hysterical tonic for women.

Strawberry The fruit is an excellent tonic, so there is no harm in eating as many strawberries, garden, or wild, as you can get, but go easy on the cream and sugar, they are so fattening!

Summer Savory Infusions are a good tonic, which is said to be aphrodisiac.

Sweet Cicely Is one of the herbs used to flavour the liqueur Chartreuse, and both wild and garden varieties, which smell and taste like aniseed, can be eaten in salads between bread and butter. Infusions make a good general tonic.

Tansy Infusions are a good general tonic for all sorts of conditions. Another of the `cure alls'.

Valerian Wonderful nerve tonic for severe nervous ailments, hysteria, etc. is made from decoctions of Valerian root. Take valerian in very small doses, and not over a long period o time, and with care, as it is strong medicine. If it has any, bad effects-don't use it. Properly used as its common name (All Heal) implies it is a wonderful herb.

It can be combined with Skullcap, Vervain, Balm and Gentian to make a general nerve tonic.

Vervain (Verbena) Yet another herb the infusions of which are a splendid tonic for all the ills of man, especially nervous complaints.

White Poplar Decoctions of the bark make an excellent nerve tonic, being anti-hysterical. It also relieves night sweats, and is used as a substitute for Quinine.

Wild Wallflower Infusions, or the leaves in salads, are nerve centre, muscle and sinew tonics. Be careful climbing up those old walls to get at the plants, or your muscles may need more toning up than you had expected!

Woodruff Infusions are taken as a general tonic in cases o debility.

PART 2. ACHES AND PAINS, HEADACHE, TOOTHACHE, CRAMP EARACHE.

Some of the sedatives are listed under Tonics in Section 2 Part I and in specific sections, such as Rheumatics, but the herbs listed below are specially helpful pain killers.

Agrimony A weak warm infusion dripped into the ears will dissolve wax and relieve the earache which it may have been causing.

Balm Infusions taken when necessary, will relieve headache toothache or earache.

Caraway Seed Poultices will help to cure boils in the ear and so relieve earache.

Catnep A very safe remedy (take infusions when necessary), for all pains especially those of nervous origin.

Cloves A drop or two of oil of cloves on an aching tooth mad help to ease the pain until you can get to a dentist. A whop clove dipped in olive oil, may be chewed or rolled around aching tooth for the same purpose.

Gladwyn A teaspoonful of powdered root in a wineglass of water taken after meals relieves cramp and is a good anti spasmodic medicine for all kinds of convulsive muscular pains.

Lavender Infusions taken when necessary should get rid of nervous headaches. Some say that even a sprig of lavender worn under your hat will help.

Marjoram A few drops of strong infusion, warmed and put into the ears several times a day will melt wax and reduce the pain caused by it. Oil of Marjoram dropped into aching teeth acts in the same way as oil of cloves.

Mignonette (Sweet) Infusions used externally will reduce pain in wounds, bruises and eyes.

Rue Very small doses of an infusion will relieve cramp. Do not take large doses of this herb over a long period of time.

Silverweed Infusions taken hot are anti-spasmodic and reduce pains in heart, stomach and abdomen.

Violet The leaves made into tea are particularly good for headaches.

Wood Betony Infusions will relieve some types of headache.

Yarrow Chew yarrow leaves to quell toothache. To ease earache drop warm infusions into the ears, or even make a wad of crushed leaves and put it into the offending ear.

PART 3. RHEUMATISM, ARTHRITIS, LUMBAGO, SCIATICA, GOUT, NEURITIS.

Herbal remedies taken internally for rheumatic troubles of all kinds are often those which also have an effect upon the kidneys and bladder, as the faulty elimination of acids, etc. via the kidneys has a definite relationship to rheumatic troubles. So herbalists often prescribe bladder and kidney remedies in conjunction with rheumatic remedies. A little study of the two sections herein will help you to understand how herbs can be combined in this way.

The external applications of some herbs to painful areas is also an important aspect of treatment for rheumatic pains, and muscle and sinew pains.

In this section the herbs have again been listed alphabetically as their uses are so wide and interdependent.

Agrimony Is a really excellent rheumatic remedy but infusions must be taken regularly over long periods. Even the most stubborn rheumatic condition of all, Arthritis, can be helped by long-term dosage of this herb.

Birch Infusions of the leaves relieves the pain of rheumatism and gout.

Burdock Infusions of burdock are good for all rheumatic conditions, and decoctions of the seeds will relieve sciatic pain.

Boneset As its name implies, infusions of the leaves and flowers taken regularly, not only help broken bones to set, but soothe aching ones.

Chickweed is sometimes used in infusions as a remedy for wandering rheumaticky pains. It is a gentle digestive stimulant and it is partly this quality which helps rheumatic pains caused by faulty elimination.

Comfrey Infusions of this great healer are so valuable as a general tonic for bones and tendons that it will, if taken over a long period, give relief to local rheumatic pains.

Couchgrass Infusions give relief to gout and rheumatic pains because of the primary benefit to the urinary organs.

Dandelion The leaves are infused, the roots ground as a coffee substitute. Taken over a period of time the tonic and diuretic, effect on the urinary organs, and its slightly aperient effect can do gout and rheumatism a lot of good.

Goutwort The root and leaves boiled together make a good:, poultice for local rheumatic pain. It may be eaten raw in salads, and infusions of the leaves, taken frequently, will relieve the pain of gout and sciatica.

Kale (Seakale) Eaten raw or infused, is excellent for all rheumatic conditions.

Nettles Eaten as a vegetable, like spinach, or drunk as ark., infusion, is good for gout.

Mistletoe Pound up a handful of berries and rub them on stiff joints and swellings to relieve pains. EXTERNAL only.

Mustard Plasters relieve all kinds of rheumatic pains, but must be used with care on sensitive skins. The addition of an egg white to every 1/2 pint measure of the plaster mixture, will reduce the irritant effect.

Primrose Teas or infusions of the flowers are excellent remedies for articular rheumatism.

Ragwort Makes an excellent poultice for the relief of sciatic and gouty pains, but should not be taken internally.

Rue Taken in infusions it removes the formations of deposits in tendons and joints, so is particularly useful for treating arthritis, lumbago and sciatica. It is stimulating and antispasmodic, so will reduce the spasmodic pain caused by these ailments. But it should be taken in small doses, and not for too long a period of time, as it can upset some people.

Soapwort A decoction of the root makes a good external rub for strained tendons, etc.

Water-cress A wonderful herb for rheumatics. Just eat as much as possible.

Wintergreen One of the commonest and best known herbal remedies for rheumatism, it is an ingredient of many modern ointments. Make an ointment or an essential oil and apply it to painful areas. Or use infusions of the leaves as a lotion for cold compress. Wintergreen is often combined with other herbs.

PART 4 (A). MOUTH ULCERS and WASHES, HAY FEVER, SORE THROATS, GARGLES, CATARRH, COLDS.

This part is complex because once again the various herbs have cross effects on different aspects of throat, chest and lung troubles. I have split it into two main sections (A) Mouth Ulcers to Colds and (B) Coughs and Lung troubles of all kinds. The action of most of these remedies is soothing, healing, expectorant or anti-spasmodic or astringent, so that irritating coughs are eased, and inflamed areas given a chance to heal.

GARGLES

Infusions for gargles for sore throats or ulcers may be made out of any of the following herbs or a mixture of several. Any of the herbs mentioned in Section 1 Part 2 for healing external ulcers may be used in gargle form or as a mouthwash for ulcers in the mouth or gums, although some don't taste so good, and any which have been noted for external use only must not be swallowed.

Bistort Root. Comfrey in particular is good for tonsillitis as its extraordinary healing properties come into action. Cudweed, Cinquefoil, Golden Seal, Herb Robert, Knapweed, Mouse ear, Ragwort (external only), Self Heal, Violet another powerful healer in this area. If you find the infusions unpleasant add a little sugar or honey.

OTHER TREATMENTS

Angelica, Peppermint and Balm mixed in equal proportions and infused, taken hot at night, relieve sore throats and promote sleep.

Bugloss or Boneset Infusions will promote perspiration in mild fever cases, so can be used to relieve feverish colds.

Catnep Infusions will produce sweat and promote sleep. This is a generally soothing medicine and can be safely give to children, one or two teaspoonfuls at a time.

Elder flowers, leaves or berries. Infusions are very good for catarrh and can be safely given to small children in coffee-spoon doses.

Golden Rod Infusions of the wild variety help hay fever.

Hawthorn Flowers. Decoctions or infusions taken while the trouble lasts are cures for sore throats.

Holly Infusions of the leaves make a good catarrh remedy.

Knapweed Decoctions from the root taken regularly ease catarrh.

Marigold Infusions of the flowers taken regularly are excellent for catarrh.

Onions Apart from their culinary uses are excellent for colds. I had an uncle whose sole remedy for coughs and colds was to consume enormous platefuls of boiled onions. The Spanish o Portuguese variety are particularly good for colds.

Peach Infusions of the leaves, taken regularly, are a good catarrh remedy.

Red Poppy Infusions made from the leaves, mixed with little honey and taken in small doses will relieve pain from sore throats mainly because of the narcotic effect of this herb.

Red Sage and Self Heal Infused and mixed with a little honey and vinegar, make a good soothing medicine for sore throats Take a teaspoonful when necessary. Red Sage Infusions by themselves are a helpful cold remedy.

Sorrel Infusions from the leaves mixed with a little honey and taken in small doses, will relieve throat and mouth ulcers.

Yarrow Infusions of this herb will make you sweat and promote sleep and combined with infusions of Elderflowers and Peppermint is an excellent remedy for feverish colds.

PART 4 (B). COUGHS, ASTHMA, WHOOPING COUGH, BRONCHITIS PLEURISY, PNEUMONIA.

Agrimony Weak infusions make good medicine for asthma and irritant coughs.

Blackcurrant An infusion of the leaves, or a syrup made from the berries is good for whooping cough and catarrh of the chest. Hot blackcurrant drinks made from the berries, taken at night, will relieve unpleasant cough and cold symptoms.

Blackthorn Fruit or bark syrup is good for coughs.

Coltsfoot Is the world's oldest cough remedy. Chemist's shops in France have a coltsfoot painted on the outside as a kind of trade sign. It is usually combined with other herbs to make a cough mixture, but can be used by itself. Infusions and decoctions of the herb are useful for all kinds of coughs. The Latin name of the plant actually means `cough dispeller' (Tussilago-farfara). Powdered coltsfoot taken as snuff relieves sinus congestion, and coltsfoot is an important ingredient of herbal tobacco, or is sometimes smoked straight for its cough relieving properties.

Chestnut (Sweet) The bark, fruit and leaves of the tree are all used for decoctions and infusions for all irritant coughs such as whooping cough.

Devils Bit Infusions of the leaves are taken for feverish coughs.

Elecampane An absolutely first-class cough medicine, although it is usually used in conjunction with others. Infusions or decoctions of herb and root; roots infused in white wine with added sugar (luverlly); dried powdered root mixed with sugar (the latter in teaspoonful doses) are all ways of taking this herb. Our forefathers made elecampane candy by cooking the roots, and coating them with hot sugar syrup, and leaving them to set.

Ground Ivy Infusions for all coughs.

Honeysuckle The flowers are an excellent asthma remedy, and can be taken in several ways; decoction, infusions, syrups made from the flowers. This herb also relieves bronchitis.

Horsetail Infusions of this herb should be used as a general lung tonic.

Iceland Moss Infusions for all coughs.

Lettuce (Wild) Syrup in small doses is sedative and eases coughs.

Limeflowers Infusions are excellent for chronic coughs.

Linseed For all lung troubles a teaspoonful of crushed linseed to 1 cup of hot water, sweetened with honey is a good and soothing drink. Strain before drinking.

Liverwort Infusion of this herb is a mild cough mixture.

Lungwort Infusion of lungwort, as its name implies, is good for asthma and all deep-seated coughs. As its common name suggests, it is one of the best cough medicines and Nicholas Culpeper even suggests that it be boiled in beer and given to broken-winded horses. Apparently in Siberia they actually add it to beer to make it bitter. Probably a much better idea than the addition of chemicals which makes our own `bitter' beer.

Marshmallow Decoctions of the root of this herb form part of many herbal cough medicines in quite high proportions, and even by themselves are helpful because the action of the plant is to soothe and heal inflammation.

Masterwort Decoctions of the root taken with wine, make excellent cough mixture. Or take them with plain water (proportions 1 oz to 1 pint, wine or water) as a remedy for asthma.

Mouse ear This astringent herb makes an excellent remedy for whooping cough or any deep-seated cough. Mix infusions with a little honey and take plenty of it.

Mullein First-class cough herb taken as infusions. Another use for mullein is as a warm wrap for a sore neck, swollen glands, mumps, etc. Make a strong brew of leaves and flowers and bring it almost to the boil, add a little vinegar, and use the liquid as a fomentation, by dipping in a clean cloth or light towel, wringing it out, and wrapping it round your neck.

Peach Infusions of the leaves are good for bronchitis and' whooping cough.

Pennyroyal Infusions for all chest and lung complaints.

Red Poppies Infusions of the leaves and flowers relieve coughs, pneumonia and pleurisy because it is narcotic and deadens pain.

Sanicle Infusions of this herb act as a lung tonic, taken regularly. It was used in the past to stop the hemorrhage from pulmonary tuberculosis, in conjunction with other herbs. In these days when T.B. is no longer the terrifyingly common killer that it once was, one is unlikely to be in the advance state of the illness and not under medical supervision, and feel that to suggest to anyone suffering from bleeding from the lungs from any cause, that they try to treat it themselves with herbs alone would be little short of criminal.

Sundew Asthma and whooping cough both respond to doses of sundew. Make a tincture and take two parts of tincture to four parts of wine or water, in teaspoonful doses. Incidentally the Americans regard sundew as `cure for old age' whatever they mean by that. Probably all that it does mean is that the 80 elderly who find that this herb relieves persistent coughs, live longer simply because they don't cough so much!

Thyme Infusions are good for coughs and catarrhal troubles.

Vervain Take infusions for all pulmonary complaints.

Yarrow and White Horehound Infused together are a remedy for chesty colds.

The following herbs used in varying combinations or all together are good for the lungs. There are many different recipes for pectoral medicines, but the one below should be helpful, as a guide to the way different herbs may be combined. White Horehound herb, Marshmallow root, Ground Ivy and Coltsfoot leaves, Elder flowers, berries or leaves, Hyssop herb and Liquorice root.

Liquorice, always a favourite ingredient in sweets, although I loathe it, is an excellent chest medicine. The following old recipe makes an excellent cough mixture.

1 large teaspoonful of Linseed
1 oz Liquorice root
1/2 lb raisins
2 quarts water
1/4 lb brown sugar candy
1 tablespoonful white wine vinegar, or lemon juice.

Boil together the linseed, liquorice, raisins, and water until the quantity is reduced by half. Strain off then add the rest of the ingredients while the liquid is hot and stir it all well. Drink half a pint before going to bed, or take a large dose whenever the cough is troublesome.

PART 5. FEVER

You will note in Chapter 8 that many herbs are diaphoretic, febrifuge, refrigerant or sudorific, which means that by very slightly differing actions they will reduce fever by inducing perspiration. (See Glossary) Whether or not they are suitable for any particular illness depends on their other actions. One would not, for instance, give a patient suffering from fever and diarrhea a febrifuge which was also a laxative! Several herbs which will reduce fever have been noted in the Coughs and Colds sections, specifically for feverish colds.

The Herbs listed below, taken as infusions except where otherwise stated, act as diaphoretics and febrifuges.

Balm, Borage, Clivers, (strong infusion), Golden Seal (decoction), White Horehound, Lime Flowers, Bed Poppies (also gentle narcotic), Thyme and Yarrow.

Baths containing Yarrow (See Bath Additions, Chapter 7) will also promote perspiration, and so reduce fever.

To make a kind of Lavender Water which can be put on to a damp cloth and used to ease headaches and fever, because it is refreshing and cooling:

Take 2 tablespoonfuls of dried Lavender flowers and a tablespoonful of Sweet Cicely leaves. A big pinch of Nutmeg and a teaspoonful of Cinnamon. Powder all this together and mix it with 1quart of Surgical Spirit. Allow it to steep for a week or more, then strain and bottle it, and seal it very tightly so that it is ready for use when needed. Use the lotion in drops on cloths wrung out in cold water.

PART 6. HEART AND CIRCULATORY TROUBLES, VARICOSE VEINS, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.

Many herbs have tonic effects upon heart and circulation, and only the milder ones are mentioned here. Professional herbalist: practitioners sometimes recommend herbs which have stronger effects, but many of them are likely to have unpleasant side effects and should not be taken except under supervision, and when prescribed for your particular condition, which has been professionally diagnosed.

Borage The leaves eaten raw or drunk as infusions tend to activate the adrenal gland, so are used as a heart tonic.

Bugle is a very mild narcotic and has the effect of slowing the pulse. But it is a safe medicine, and should be taken as infusions.

Butterburr Take decoctions made from the root as a heart stimulant.

Figwort, Knotted Take infusions to help varicose veins.

Hawthorn leaves and Berries are good heart tonics, especially for cardiac asthma and dropsy, and arteriosclerosis. Add the, dried leaves to ordinary teas, make Hawthorn wine and drink it, or Hawthorn liqueur. Or simply make decoctions from the berries and take them as medicine.

Hazel Nuts These highly nutritious nuts help to prevent hardening of the arteries. Just eat and enjoy them.

Heartsease Eat the raw flowers, or drink infusions of the flowers or herb as a treatment for general heart weakness and high blood pressure.

Honeysuckle Eat the raw flowers, or drink infusions of I dessertspoonful of flaked bark to 1/2 pint of water, as a good general heart tonic.

Ladies Mantle Infusions are a general heart tonic.

Lily of the Valley Is used as a remedy for valvular disease of the heart. Take weak infusions in tablespoonful doses several times a day. It is a good tonic remedy after strokes to restore lost speech, and it reduces high blood pressure.

Marigold Infusions of the flowers and leaves can be taken indefinitely as a safe remedy for varicose veins. It is generally good for the circulation. The infusions are also used as a lotion to bathe varicose veins and ulcers to promote healing.

Meadowsweet Infusions of the flowers will reduce high blood pressure and act as a general tonic for blood disorders.

Mistletoe Strong infusions are a mild heart tonic and help to relieve blood pressure, and will also relieve stitch.

Purslane Eat as a salad, as it is a general blood purifier and is good for high blood pressure.

Rosemary is the supreme heart tonic, and infusions are used to treat all heart ailments and high blood pressure.

Rue is a heart and artery tonic. Take infusions in very small doses, 1 small teaspoonful to 1/2 pint of water.

Tang A general tonic for all heart weaknesses. Take small doses of weak infusions. It may also be used externally as a lotion for varicose veins.

Wallflower Infusions of flowers help to lower blood pressure.

Watercress Is a good tonic for heart troubles and anaemia. Just eat as much as possible.

PART 7. DIABETES

This condition requires that sufferers from it shall eat as little sugar in any form as possible, so I must stress that sugar and honey should not be included in herbal remedies used by diabetics. There are certain herbs, listed below, which are used in the active treatment of diabetes for the direct action on the pancreas, and others which will substitute for certain flavourings, sauces, etc., normally containing sugar which may not be used.

Take infusions of: Ladies Mantle, Meadowsweet Flowers, Periwinkle, Sweet Cicely, and Golden Seal.

Eat Raze: Dandelion, and Purslane.

Celery is believed to contain a hormone which has an effect similar to that of insulin so is an excellent flavouring for diabetics to use. The leaves are dried and powdered, and can be sprinkled over salads, in soups, etc.

Other useful flavourings which are definitely not harmful to diabetics are: Dill, Horseradish, Juniper Berries, Mugwort, and Nettles.

PART 8. LYMPHATIC AILMENTS

GOITRE

Few herbal remedies are known for this condition.

Oak Bark Infusions taken morning and evening should help to relieve the condition.

SWOLLEN GLANDS AND LYMPHATIC DISORDERS

Elder Decoctions of the root are taken to treat all lymphatic ailments.

Ground Ivy Take as infusions for all glandular infections.

Honeysuckle Take infusions of the root as a treatment for swollen glands. 1 dessertspoonful of flaked bark infused in 1/2 pint of water.

Knapweed Take infusions of the flowers and also use infusions as lotion for swollen glands, applied externally.

Lily of the Valley Take infusions of the flowers for all lymphatic ailments.

Mullein Use as on page 80 to make fomentations for swollen glands.

Nettle Cook and eat as you do spinach, or make infusions and take them as a remedy for all lymphatic ailments.

Sea Holly Eat one lightly boiled root per day as a glandular tonic.

Toad Flax Take infusions as a treatment for glandular, disorders.

Violets Use raw leaf poultices or ointment of leaves and flowers pulped raw into cold cream, to treat swollen glands. Warm a small towel and bind it over the poultice or ointment. For glands in the neck, the proverbial sock really does make a good poultice bandage.

Part 9. Female Ailments, Menstrual, Milk Yield, Fertility, Childbirth, Uterine And Vaginal Complaints, Morning Sickness.

Certain herbs have most definite effects upon the reproductive systems of humans, and particularly on the disorders which affect women. Few herbs are likely to cause anything but good, but some are not to be taken during pregnancy and this is noted under the separate herbs.

Archangel, White Infusions used as a douche reduce flooding.

Blackcurrant Infusions of leaves or berries contain vitamins, as does blackcurrant puree, are useful for, most disorders of pregnancy, and are believed to prevent miscarriage.

Borage Eat raw leaves to increase milk flow.

Catnep Infusions will relieve menstrual pain.

Devil's Bit Infusions of the flowers will regularise menstruation, and make a good general female tonic and remedy for vaginitis.

Feverfew 2 tablespoonfuls of infusions twice a day make a good medicine to aid labour, to correct infertility, and will regularise menstruation.

Golden Rod and Mint infused together taken regularly, relieve morning sickness.

Golden Seal 1/2 teaspoonful of decoctions in hot water helps to relieve morning sickness.

Ground Ivy Infusions taken in frequent doses will help to bring down afterbirth, and reduce pains after confinement.

Hops Infusions increase milk flow.

Horsetail Weak infusions in small doses are good for inflammation of the uterus and vagina.

Ladies Mantle as its name implies is a herb specially useful for women. Take infusions to reduce excessive menstruation and flooding. Infusions taken before and after confinement help to restore the figure.

Lettuce, Wild (like cultivated lettuce) contains the anti-sterile Vitamin E, so is used to treat infertility. Take small doses of weak infusions, or eat plenty of fresh lettuces.

Liquorice contains female sex hormones. A decoction from the root of 3 inches of solid stick dissolved in 1/2 pint of water and sweetened, will regularise menstruation.

Marjoram Taken in infusions two or three days before and up to the usual date, will regularise menstruation.

Marshmallow Infusions used as a douche will relieve irritation of the vagina, because of the general soothing and healing properties of the herb. Or use as a lotion for swollen of uncomfortable breasts.

Milkwort Eaten raw increases milk flow.

Mint infusions taken regularly will treat infertility, regularise menstruation and are reputed to be aphrodisiacal.

Motherwort Uterine tonic and menstrual regulator in the same way as Raspberry (see below).

Parsley leaves, bruised and steeped in vinegar applied direct will relieve breast swelling and discomfort. Peach Infusions relieve morning sickness.

Pennyroyal which SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN BY PREGNANT WOMEN will regularise suppressed menstruation.

Raspberry leaf tea taken as infusions of leaves and berries will also relieve morning sickness. This is one of the most important female medicines, and has special influence on the muscles of the pelvic region and uterus. The active ingredient is Fragrine. It should be taken regularly throughout pregnancy and during labour to help attain easy childbirth, to bring down retained afterbirth, and it is also used to increase fertility. Externally it is used as a toning application by douche for prolapsed uterus.

Rosemary is good for all female ailments, and taken in infusions acts as a general tonic for the reproductive system.

Rue Infuse one small teaspoonful of the dried herb to z pint of water and take twice a day in tablespoonful doses to regularise menstruation.

Sage Infusions of the leaves increase milk flow.

Southernwood or Summer Savory are both good for all female ailments. Infusions act. as general tonic for the reproductive system.

Thyme Take infusions to control flooding and regularise menstruation.

Watercress or Woodruff Take infusions to increase the milk flow.

Yarrow Take infusions to control flooding.

Part 10. Bladder And Kidney Complaints, Cystitis, Nephritis, Dropsy.

Many herbs have a diuretic effect upon the system and stimulate the kidneys to do their natural work, which is the elimination of body wastes and poisons, therefore they will be of use in all kinds of kidney troubles. Quite a few are reputed to break down kidney stones or prevent their formation, and it must be remembered that this sometimes extremely painful ailment loomed very large in the lives of our forefathers. Modern medical and surgical techniques have undoubtedly done a great deal to help these troubles, and it is an ailment where anyone in chronic or acute pain, should not attempt to treat themselves by herbal methods alone. Herbal treatments, especially if kept up, will be extremely good and helpful, and will also act in other ways to reduce certain rheumatic conditions and to reduce obesity by getting rid of excess fluid in the body tissues, not only the obviously high fluid content of dropsy, but often just those of some kinds of chronic obesity. They may also relieve high blood pressure caused by kidney faults.

Because the body tissues cannot absorb liquid without salt, alt intake should always be kept down when taking these medicines, and ideally sea salt only should be used. Our food contains much natural and added salt anyway, and to flavour by other means is really good sense.

Not that any herbs in Chapter 9 specified as diuretic will have an effect upon the kidneys, but it may be just incidental to another main use of the herb. Quite a few of the herbs suggested for rheumatic trouble will work this way, so do not be alarmed if they increase your visits to the lavatory. some herbs used in the treatment of digestive disorders are also diuretic. So are several of the general tonics. Faulty elimination which leads to `auto intoxication' or self poisoning, is at the root of so many of our troubles, and general fitness is absolutely dependent upon a clean body.

Butchers Broom 1 oz of the twigs simmered in 1 1/2 pints of boiling water reduced to 1 pint; or a weak infusion of the root taken in normal infusion doses, is a general kidney tonic.

Butterburr Take decoctions of the root as a general kidney tonic.

Barley Make infusions, otherwise Barley Water, which is so well known as a helpful kidney and bladder medicine that it needs no discussion. If you make it at home, add honey and lemon juice to improve the taste.

Birch Infusions relieve urinary complaints and dropsy.

Chicory Infusions of the fresh herb are a treatment for or `gravel' in bladder and kidneys.

Clivers An excellent kidney herb. Infusions will relieve stone in the bladder; or make a general kidney tonic which will relieve skin diseases arising from kidney trouble.

Couch grass Strong infusions are absolutely excellent for all bladder and kidney complaints, cystitis, and nephritis, yet it is regarded by farmers and gardeners as perhaps the most hated weed of all!

Elder Decoctions of the root make a general kidney tonic.

Golden Rod Infusions will help dissolve stones in the bladder.

Gromel Infusions of the seeds should be taken after meals as a gravel and stone remedy.

Herb Robert Infusions are good for nephritis.

Horseradish Eaten raw is excellent for urinary troubles.

Juniper Infusions of the twigs and berries are good for stones and gravel.

Ladies Bedstraw Infusions are taken for stone and gravel.

Marshmallow Decoctions of the root or infusions of the herb are a useful kidney treatment.

Mullein Infusions are soothing to the kidneys and can safely be taken in cases of albuminuria.

Parsley Eaten raw or made into strong infusions is an excellent bladder tonic.

Rupturewort Infusions of this herb drunk freely are frequently used to treat catarrhal infections of the bladder and dropsy of any origin.

Seakale Eat the raw herb or take infusions for all bladder and kidney troubles.

Sorrel Infusions of the leaves are good for kidney disorders.

Toadflax Infusions are taken for bladder troubles.

PART 11. STOMACH TROUBLES, BOWELS, HAEMORRHOIDS, JAUNDICE, DIARRHOEA, DYSENTERY, STOMACH ULCERS, NAUSEA, FLATULENCE, COLIC, HEARTBURN.

This section covers a very wide range of ailments and disorders, and without a tremendous lot of repetition, it cannot be split up into all the individual ills. Almost all herbal remedies which are imbibed will have some effect upon the alimentary tract and its associated parts, liver, bladder, kidneys, etc. Those with more definite effects upon bladder and kidneys have been put into Part 10, although there are plenty of cross effects. Otherwise the herbs and their uses have been listed here in alphabetical order, or are grouped together where two or more herbs have exactly the same effect. Each ailment or disorder has a page reference in the index, and if you are in a hurry and don't want to read the whole section, use the index to find out exactly on which page your particular ailment is mentioned.

These various herbs are combined by herbal suppliers and herbalists, according to whatever the trouble may be, and a certain amount of personal experimentation as you come to understand their uses is fair enough. (Note that in The Herbs, Chapter 9 the properties of each herb are stated and there is a complete glossary of terms used before the index.)

DIGESTIVES

Avens, Bugle, Dill, Eyebright, Ground Ivy, Herb Patience, Marjoram, Masterwort, Rosemary, Sage, Poplar. Infusions or decoctions from the appropriate parts of these plants are all digestives and will correct mild forms of indigestion.

GENERAL

Agrimony Sweeten infusions and take them frequently, and they will cure slight diarrhoea or relaxed bowels. It has a tonic effect on the digestive system and is helpful in cases of jaundice.

Angelica Infusions of the whole plant above ground are good for all digestive troubles including colic and heartburn.

Anise Chew one tablespoonful of the seeds before meals as a digestive. As a fast colic cure, boil 1 tablespoonful of seeds in 1/2 pint of milk for 10 minutes and drink it hot.

Balm Infusions relieve abdominal complaints arising from nerves, i.e. stomach cramps and dyspepsia. A few drops of juice on sugar will relieve nausea.

Barberry Decoctions of the berries are used to treat liver and spleen.

Basil Infusions will relieve nausea and vomiting.

Bistort Infusions of the root, which is extremely astringent, will help to treat acute dysentery. Blackberry leaf tea is excellent for simple diarrhoea.

Blackthorn or Borage Infusions of the appropriate parts act as gentle laxatives and digestives and liver tonics. Or a handful of Blackthorn flowers every morning!

Butchers Broom Decoctions of the root or infusions of the leaves are used to cure jaundice. The root decoction is the more usual treatment.

Calamint, Catnep, Chamomile and juniper are all good for flatulence and mild digestive troubles. Take infusions of the appropriate parts.

Caraway Chew the seeds as a general digestive tonic, especially for wind, and to tone up the liver. Caraway taken in combination with other laxatives will reduce griping pains. Eat the leaves in salads, but do not cook them as all medical properties will be lost.

Chicory Decoctions of the root make an excellent liver tonic and will help to relieve jaundice. It is also laxative.

Chickweed Small amounts eaten twice daily or small doses of infusions make excellent digestive and healing tonic for stomach ulcers, etc.

Cloves Infusions of cloves relieve nausea. A few drops of essential oil on a lump of sugar is a good bowel tonic.

A mixture of a pinch each of Ground Cloves, Allspice, Ginger, and Cinnamon in a little brandy gently warmed, makes an excellent quick acting colic remedy.

Coriander A few seeds eaten raw before meals, or made into infusions, sweetened with honey if you hate the taste, are good for indigestion and griping pains in stomach and bowels.

Costmary Another good liver and stomach tonic. Can be eaten raw in salads, or as infusions.

Couch Grass Take strong infusions for gall stones, jaundice, and as a laxative and vermifuge (see also under Bladder Complaints).

Dandelion Raw leaves or decoctions from the root make good liver tonic.

Dill is so well known in the form of Dillwater infusions for relieving wind in babies! It has the same effect upon adults, when taken in bigger doses.

Fennel Infusions of the leaves are good for all digestive troubles and as a laxative for diabetics. Especially useful herbal medicine for weight reducers. When on a diet (or at any time or that matter), drink fennel seed tea, or eat them raw. A teaspoonful of seed boiled in a cup of milk for five minutes and then sieved and given warm in very small quantities, will cure colic in small babies.

Fumitory Infusions of flowers and leaves, preferably in wine, is an excellent tonic for the liver and general stomach disorders.

Gentian Decoctions of the root, added to better tasting herbs or honey (it really is vile), are excellent for jaundice or vomiting if you can manage to get them down.

Groundsel Used to be given to children to cure worms, but is also another good liver tonic. Take it in infusions but not too much at a time. Strong doses act as a purgative and emetic, so be a little careful.

Hawkweeds Infusions of any of the Hawkweeds (and it is a huge family of plants) especially Mouse-ear Hawkweed, are good for the liver and may therefore help nausea and biliousness.

Herb Robert Like all geraniums it is astringent and will stop internal and external bleeding, so infusions are used to bathe piles. Infusions may also be taken at the same time to help relieve piles.

Honeysuckle Infusions taken regularly are a spleen tonic.

Horsetail Weak infusions in small doses are good for stomach and intestinal ulcers, dysentery and obesity.

Iceland Moss Doses of the infusion are digestive, stimulate the appetite, and are slightly laxative. The herb is a food in itself and does in fact form the main diet of the reindeer!

Lesser Celandine or Pilewort, as its name implies is excellent for piles. Make a simple ointment. Or combine equal quantities of Lesser Celandine, Houseleek and Plantain and make an ointment, and apply it locally.

Liverworts in infusion form are mild liver tonics and should be taken regularly. Herbalists usually combine liverwort with other herbs, especially Dandelion.

Loosestrife Strong infusions cure dysentery and stop intestinal bleeding.

Marshmallow Decoctions from the root, or infusions from the leaves are fine, just as they are for lung complaints, as soothing medicines for the stomach. Taken in infusions or in conjunction with Slippery Elm (see below) which has much the same soothing effect.

Mint All the mints are useful herbally largely because they smell so good that they are tonic in themselves. But mint does aid digestion and stop nausea, and it cures hiccups. Mint and Golden Rod infusions combined are very good for relieving nausea, and especially morning sickness.

Meadowsweet Infusions of this herb can safely be given to children and are very good indeed for diarrhoea. Anti-acid and therefore digestive.

Peach As important a herb for stomach troubles as it is for bronchial troubles. Decoctions of the bark helps to stop vomiting, and if taken regularly helps morning sickness. Syrup of peach flowers is a mild and pleasant aperient for children. Infusions of the leaves are excellent for chronic gastritis and are often used alone or in conjunction with other herbs. Dosage can be as often as every 2 hours.

Plantain Good for inflammation of the intestines, diarrhoea, and piles as it has a soothing effect. The seeds may be eaten dry, sprinkled on salad or washed down with water, or infusions made from the leaves. The seeds are strongest.

Quince Eat the raw pulp of the fruit to allay dysentery.

Sanicle Strong infusions help to arrest dysentery, especially combined with Loosestrife. Standard infusions treat all internal ulcers.

Sea Holly Eat one baked or boiled root, sliced into salad to treat liver complaints and other stomach troubles. Mainly laxative.

Sea Lavender Infusions of the flowers-great healer-is excellent for all forms of haemorrhage, dysentery and diarrhoea. St. John's Fort Infusions are a general liver and stomach remedy.

Senna Infusions made from dried senna leaves are so well known as a laxative that there is no need to go into details here. If it causes griping pains, add a pinch of ginger to the infusion.

Shepherd's Purse Strong infusions will have the same effect as Sea Lavender.

Slippery Elm Many people take slippery elm food or gruel, or preparations containing slippery elm as a matter of course, often as a nightcap; and sufferers from any kind of gastric troubles, ulcers, etc., find that it helps them a lot. Slippery elm powder has about the same nutrient content as oatmeal, so it makes a useful food for those with weak digestions or suffering from debility or malnutrition. It can be flavoured with sugar or honey and any flavouring which improves it to your taste cinnamon, nutmeg or even chocolate powder.

Strawberries The raw fruit, and infusions from the leaves lake excellent bowel tonics.

Toad Flax Infusions are used to treat jaundice.

Vervain (Verbena) Infusions are used to treat jaundice. Violet Infusions of the flowers, 1 lb to 2 1/2 pints of boiling water, is good for stomach inflammations because of its cooling effect on the mucous membranes.

White Stonecrop Bruised leaves of this plant are applied to piles and their astringency gives relief. Infusions of the leaves will also treat diarrhoea, piles and catarrhal gastric disorders in general. It is slightly laxative. White Stonecrop, like so many others, is a plant whose qualities deserve a lot more research.

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Chapter 9 - The Herbs (A to Z)

I know a bank wheron the wild thyme blows, 
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, 
Quite over-canopied with lucious woodbine, 
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine.

(Midsummer Night's Dream)

In the following chapter all the herbs mentioned in this book. are listed, with brief details to help in identification when they grow wild. Those which can only be cultivated are not described in such detail as you will be propagating them from seed or by cuttings, etc., from herb farms. Those foreign herbs which can only be bought ready for use in herbal shops are merely listed with brief notes, as descriptions are superfluous.

There are some herbs in this list, both native and foreign, which have not been specifically mentioned in the cosmetic or medical section. These have been included because they are ingredients of bought herbal mixtures, only occasionally used, which you may wish to identify. There are, of course, hundreds more herbs with medical uses, but those included here are the most useful.

In some of the recipes, particularly cosmetics, various spices are mentioned. These haven't been listed in the herb section as most of them are kitchen spices in common use and need no description and are for sale in chemists, grocers and health food shops.

The common and Latin names have been given, but both of these vary. In different parts of the country wild herbs have local names, and botanical books are still confused in some cases over the Latin names. Be careful to identify your wild herbs correctly. Use a reliable `Flora'. There are plenty of modern ones, and also some older ones, perhaps not in print, but available in second-hand book shops.

The parts of each plant which are commonly used herbally are noted at the end of each description; Leaves, SEEDS, FLOWERS, ROOTS, NUTS, ROOT BARK, BARK, WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND, ENTIRE PLANT.

The action of each herb-Astringent, Sedative, etc., is also noted at the end of each one, after the Part Used.

ADDER'S TONGUE (Ophioglossum vulgatum)

Grows in damp places in early spring. Has only one leaf which opens out and produces a dented flower stalk yellowish-green colour, just like an adder's tongue, hence the name. LEAVES. Antiseptic, Detergent.

AGRIMONY (Agrimonia eupatoria)  Church Steeples, Liverwort, Stickwort

A common hedgerow and grassland weed which blooms from June to September. It has little yellow star-shaped flowers on a spike, from 18 to 15 inches high, which smell like apricots. The long leaves are indented, green on top, greyish underneath, covered with little hairs, and grow from a stalk. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Mild Astringent, Tonic, Diuretic.

ANGELICA (Angelica archangelica)

A huge wild or garden plant which can reach 8 feet, with hairy fern-like leaves and umbels of white flowers. The whole plant has a pleasant aromatic smell, and has been used for flavouring liqueurs, gin, vermouth and bitters for many centuries. The roots are eaten raw with butter in Iceland, and in other countries people eat the young stems like celery. In Finland, tea is made from either dried or fresh young leaves, and of course, even in England, confectioners candy pieces of the stalk for decoration. ENTIRE PLANT. Aromatic, Stimulant, Carminative, Diuretic, Diaphoretic, Expectorant.

ANISE (Pimpinella Anisum)

A very decorative plant for a herb garden, but the seeds do not always ripen if we have a cool wet summer, so the bought ones usually come from Spain where they are grown commercially. Anise is an annual growing from 18 inches to 2 feet high with bright green feathery leaflets, and umbels of white flowers. SEEDS. Pectoral, Carminative.

ARCHANGEL (Lamium album) White dead-nettle

Grows on waste ground and roadsides and has white flowers with large lower lips and small teeth. The leaves are rather, crumpled and hairy with pointed ends, and the plant looks very like an ordinary stinging nettle. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Astringent, Alterative.

ARCHANGEL, YELLOW (Lamium Galeobdolon)

Very like white archangel, except that the flowers are yellow. It grows in woods and on heavy soils. Its uses are similar. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Astringent, Alterative.

ARRACH, STINKING (Chenopodium olidum) Stinking Goosefoot Has a spreading stem with triangular based, egg-shaped leaves, rather fleshy and oatmeal-spotted. Greenish-white flowers bloom in August and September and are small in dense clustered spikes. Easily distinguished by its foul smell of rotten fish or worse. Not a very common plant, and grows near the sea or on dunghills. LEAVES. Nervine, Emmenagogue.

ARROWROOT (Maranta arundinacea)

Comes from the West Indies and can be bought powdered ready for use from chemists, etc. Demulcent, Non irritating, Nutritive.

AVENS (Geum urbanum)  Herb Bennet, Colewort

Grows in woods, hedges and shady lanes, from I to z feet high. The stem has two leaflets and the root leaves are on long stalks with two small leaflets at the base. The erect yellow flowers bloom from May to September. ENTIRE PLANT. Demulcent, Non-irritative, Nutritive, Astringent, Tonic, Antiseptic, Stomachic.

BALM (Melissa officinalis)  Sweet Balm, Lemon Balm

A garden herb with bright green stalked leaves which grow opposite each other, very serrated and wrinkled. The whole plant smells and tastes of lemon. The hooded flowers are small and white, shading to yellow, and the foliage is usually harvested when they start to bloom. LEAVES. Carminative, Diaphoretic, Febrifuge, Tonic.

BARBERRY (Berberis vulgaris)  Berberidis, Berbery

A thorny shrub which grows from 4 to 8 feet high. The leaves are egg-shaped, and the bright yellow, clustered flowers bloom in May and June. In the autumn these turn to masses of red berries. The shrub grows wild in woods and hedges as well as in gardens. BERRIES, BARK and ROOTBARK. Tonic, Purgative, Antiseptic

BARLEY  (Hordeum Pratense)

Needs no description. Buy from herbal stockists. Nutritive, Demulcent.

BASIL (Ocium basilicum)

Is a garden herb which came originally from India. LEAVES. Aromatic, Carminative, Cooling.

BAY (Laurus nobiis)  Sweet Bay

A hardy evergreen garden shrub, which can reach 12 feet. LEAVES. Stomachic.

BAYBERRY (Myrica cerifera)

The bark from this shrub can be bought ready prepared from herbal stockists. Stimulant, Astringent, Tonic.

BERGAMOT, RED (Monarda didyma)  Bee-Balm, Scarlet Monarda

A perennial flowering garden plant which can have crimson, scarlet, purple, mauve, pink or white flowers. When tea was boycotted in the United States at the time of the Boston Tea Party, bergamot leaves were used instead. LEAVES and FLOWERS. Sedative

BETONY, WOOD (Betonica officinalis or Stachys betonica) Bishopswort

A softly hairy, very pretty woodland plant which grows about z feet high. Purple-red flowers on dense heads bloom from June to September. Two or three pairs of oblong, stalkless leaves grow beneath the spike divisions. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Aromatic, Astringent, Alterative.

BIRCH (Betula alba)  Common, White or Silver Birch

Needs no description. LEAVES and OIL from BARK. Bitter, Astringent.

BIRD'S FOOT TREFOIL (Lotus corniculatus)  Shoes-and-Stockings, Lady's Slipper, Eggs and Bacon

Grows low to the ground on spreading branches set with lots of rings of small leaves. Flowers grow at the ends of the branches from bright yellow to bright brownish-red. These turn into claw-shaped pods. Can be found almost anywhere on open ground and heaths. LEAVES. Dye, Nervine.

BISTORT (Polygonum bistorta)  Adderwort, Snakeroot, Patient Dock, English Serpentary, Dragonwort, Osterick and Passions. Grows in damp meadows between 1 and 2 feet tall. Leaf stalks and blades are from 6 to 8 inches long, and when young, are folded lengthwise. The flower stems have fewer and smaller leaves, with dense cylindrical spikes of fresh-coloured blossoms, which bloom from June to August. Twisted rhizomes are reddish brown. ROOT. Astringent.

BLACKBERRY (Rubus fruticosus)  Bramble

Needs no description. YOUNG LEAVES and BERRIES. Laxative, Nervine.

BLACKCURRANT (gibes Nigrum)

Needs no description. LEAVES and BERRIES. Diuretic, Refrigerant, Detergent.

BLACKTHORN (Prunus Spinosa)  Sloe

Hedgerow shrub. White flowers come before the leaves in early spring. FLOWERS. FRUIT. Febrifuge, Nervine, Antispasmodic.

BONESET (Eupatorium perfoliatum)  Indian Sage, Thoroughwort

Grows in the United States, and can be bought from herbal stockists. Diaphoretic, Tonic, Febrifuge, Expectorant, Laxative.

BORAGE (Borago officinalis)

Is really a cultivated plant, but has seeded itself in many wayside places. It grows from I to 2 feet and the stems and leaves are covered in thick whitish bristles. Large, deep blue flowers grow in terminal clusters in June and July. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Diuretic, Demulcent, Emollient.

BUCHU (Barosma betulina)

Is imported from South Africa and can be bought from herbal stockists. Diuretic, Diaphoretic, Stimulant.

BUGLE (Ajuga reptans)  Common bugle

Grows in moist meadows and woods on hairy, leafy stems which root at intervals. Lower leaves are stalked, but the upper ones are smaller, grow straight from the main stem, and are often tinged with blue. Crowded spikes of blue flowers bloom in May and June. LEAVES. Bitter, Astringent, Aromatic.

BUGLOSS (Echium vulgare)  Viper's Bugloss, Blueweed

Grows on sea cliffs, dunes and dry pastures, from I to z feet tall. It has alternate leaves on a rigid stem, harsh with bulbous hairs. Blue flowers bloom from June to August in curved

clusters, irregularly tubular, funnel shaped. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Diuretic, Demulcent, Expectorant, Diaphoretic.

BURDOCK (Arctium lappa)  Thorny Burr

Grows on waste ground, frequently near stinging nettles. A strong plant 3 to 5 feet tall with big lower leaves and large heads of purplish florets enclosed in globular whorls of bracts made of hooked scales. These often get stuck in the coats of shaggy dogs, and ponies' tails, and are almost impossible to get out. The scales are sometimes interwoven with cottony down. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Alterative, Diuretic, Diaphoretic.

BURNET, SALAD (Sanguisorba minor)

Is a useful herb as it is evergreen and can be picked fresh all the year round. It grows wild or can be cultivated. The leaves are serrated. Small round heads of green flowers turn reddish quite quickly and bloom from June to August. They look rather like clover. LEAVES. Astringent, Tonic.

BUTCHER'S BROOM (Ruscus aculeatus)  Common Butcher's Broom, Knee Holly, Kneeholm, Pettigree, Sweet Broom

A low shrub 3 to 4 feet tall with erect, green, branched stems with lots of rigid green leaves ending in sharp spines. Tiny greenish-white flowers grow singly from the centre of the leaves in April and May. Round, bright red berries are two or three times as large as holly berries. TWIGS. Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Aperient.

BUTTERBURR (Petastites vulgaris)

Appears in January on a thick stalk about a foot high. Dull lilac-coloured flowers bloom in late winter, after which the leaves appear. These are kidney-shaped, from I to 5 feet in diameter, lighter below than above, shading the ground and stopping the growth of other plants. ROOTS. Cardiac Tonic, Stimulant, Diuretic.

CALAMINT (Calamintha officinalis)  Common Calamint, Mountain Mint

Is closely related to wild basil. It has square, hairy, woody stalks, grows to about I foot high, and has a strong scent. The leaves are stalked, egg-shaped, slightly serrated. Small pale blue flowers bloom in July. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Diaphoretic, Expectorant.

CARNATION (Dianthus caryophyllum)  Clove or Red Clove Carnation

Needs no description. They have been grown in herb gardens for many years, where they are both decorative and useful. FLOWERS. Fragrant.

CARAWAY (Carum carvi)

Can sometimes be found wild as an escape from cultivation. Has spindle-shaped roots, and the many-branched stem which grows z feet high. Leaves are double-cut, with little leaflets cut into narrow segments. White flowers in umbels, bloom in June. SEEDS. Carminative, Stimulant.

CATNEP (Nepeta Cataria)  Catmint

Grows in hedges and waste ground on straight white stems covered in mealy down, z to 3 feet high. The leaves have whitish undersides, and small whitish or bluish flowers, dotted with crimson, and bloom in July and August. They grow in dense whorls which towards the top of the stem are so close that they are almost a spike. The whole plant has a strong smell particularly liked by cats and disliked by most humans. 'WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Carminative, Tonic, Diaphoretic, Refrigerant, Anti-spasmodic.

CELANDINE, LESSER (Ranunculus ficaria)  Pilewort

Grows wild almost everywhere, has heart or kidney-shaped leaves. The pretty, glossy, yellow, star-shaped, 9-petalled flowers bloom from March to May. LEAVES. Alterative, Astringent.

CELERY (Apium graveolens)  Smallage

Grows mainly in damp places near the sea, from 1 to z feet tall. Small, white flowers bloom in terminal umbels from June to September. The whole plant has a pungent smell. Cultivated celery, if allowed to run to seed, can also be used. SEEDS, LEAVES. Carminative, Diuretic, Tonic, Aphrodisiac.

CHAMOMILE (Anthemis nobilis)  Roman Chamomile, Double Chamomile

The name comes from the Greek `Khamai' meaning `on the ground' and `melon'-`apple'. In other words `ground apple' because it has the same familiar smell. It grows low to the ground, creeping along with tufted downy greyish-green foliage forming soft mats. This plant is of the Daisy family and has both double and single forms. The double kind is better for internal use, as the single-flower type is more alkaline, and can be too strong for sensitive stomach linings. Flowers grow on leafless stalks, yellow, with a fringe of white petals. It is usually cultivated. Many people first heard of `chamomile tea' as children from the Beatrix Potter book, in which Peter Rabbit was given some by his mother when he was feeling `very poorly' from eating too many of Mr. MacGregor's lettuces. FLOWERS and LEAVES. Stomachic, Tonic, Antispasmodic.

CHERVIL (Anthriscus cerefolium)

A cultivated herb. LEAVES. Brain Tonic, Stomachic.

CHESTNUT, HORSE (Aseculus hippocastanum)

Needs no description. LEAVES. Narcotic, Tonic, Febrifuge.

CHESTNUT, SWEET (Castanea vesca)  Spanish Chestnut

Needs no description. BARK, LEAVES and NUTS. Tonic, Astringent.

CHICKWEED (Stellaria media)  Starweed, Star Chickweed

Very common garden and waste-land weed. Has smooth, egg shaped, sharp-pointed leaves and tiny white flowers. A hairy line runs up one side of the stem, and when it reaches a pair of leaves, is continued on the opposite side. LEAVES. Demulcent, Refrigerant.

CHICORY (Cichorium Intybus)  Succory, Wild Chicory

Grows wild on rich grasslands, to about 3 feet high. Has tough, angled, alternately branched stems and very pointed, torn edged leaves. Has large blue flower heads and each little floret has 5 petals, which bloom from July to October. LEAVES and ROOT. Hepatic, Tonic, Diuretic, Laxative.

CHIVES (Allium schoenoprasum)

Very common garden herb. LEAVES. Stomachic, Diuretic.

CINQUEFOIL (Potentilla reptans)  Five Leaved Grass, Five Fingers, Creeping Cinquefoil

Grows in meadows, pastures and roadsides. Has long creeping stems, rather like strawberry plants, which root at the joints. Each leaf stalk is about z inches long with five leaves, which are hairy, serrated and have prominent veins underneath. Five-petalled, bright yellow flowers bloom on the ends of separate stalks from June to September. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Astringent.

CLIVERS (Galium aparine)  Goosegrass, Cleavers, Hayriffe, Erriffe, Burweed, Goosebill

Climbing garden and hedgerow weed. It is best known for its habit of sticking to anything that touches it, as the leaves, stem, fruit and seed vessels all have tenacious little hooks. Leaves grow in whorls of 6 to 8, and little greenish-white flowers bloom in June and July. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Aperient, Diuretic, Tonic, Alterative.

CLOVER, RED (Trifolium pratense)  Purple clover

Is the common big clover which grows in meadows as a valuable part of hay crops. Flowers grow in dense, roundish-oblong heads, purplish-red, and bloom all summer. FLOWERS. Alterative, Sedative.

CLOVES (Eugenia caryophyllata)

Buds of a tropical tree, and can be bought from grocers or herbal stockists. Stimulant, Aromatic, Carminative.

COLTSFOOT (Tursilago farfara)  Coughwort, Horsehoof

Is described botanically as `a troublesome weed common on basic soils' so is not hard to find. The leaves are hoof-shaped with angular teeth on the margins, long stalked, green above ' and coated with white hairs underneath. These appear after the yellow flowers, just like small dandelions, which bloom in March. LEAVES. Demulcent, Expectorant.

COMFREY (Symphytum officinale) Knitbone, Nipbone

Grows in damp places by rivers or in wet fields, on hairy stems, 2 or 3 feet high. Large hairy leaves have wavy edges. Cream or purple, bell-like flowers bloom all on the same side of the stems in June. ROOTS and LEAVES. Demulcent, Astringent, Alterative.

CORIANDER (Coriandrum sativum)

Romans brought coriander to Britain, and since then it has grown wild on waste ground. Has round stalks about z feet high, lower leaves a bit like parsley, upper ones sharper. White flowers in umbels, bloom in June. Unripe seeds smell horrible, but improve as they ripen. LEAVES and SEEDS. Stimulant, Carminative.

CORNFLOWER (Centuarea cyanus)  Bluebottle, Bluebow, Hurtsickle

These pretty little blue flowers which used to grow all over the country alongside red poppies before the days of chemical sprays, are not so plentiful now, but they can still be found in waste ground or in gardens. Flower heads are round with closely overlapping fringed scales and bright blue florets. The leaves are very narrow and slightly toothed. FLOWERS. Tonic, Emmenagogue, Stimulant.

COSTMARY (Tanacetum balsamita)  Alecost, Sage O'Bedlam, Bethlehem, Goose Tongue

Garden herb with long, broad, pale green leaves. LEAVES. Aromatic, Tonic.

COUCHGRASS (Agropyron repens)  Twitchgrass, Quickgrass, Dog's Grass, Squitch Grass, Creeping Twitch

Is a very well-known grassy weed of arable and waste ground, where it spreads all too easily. ROOT. Diuretic, Demulcent, Aperient.

COWSLIP (Primula veris)  Paigles, St. Peter's Wort, Gaskin, Palsywort

Well-known spring flower which grows mainly on chalk soil in many parts of the country. Resembles tiny primrose heads all on one stalk. FLOWERS. Sedative, Antispasmodic.

CUDWEED (Gnaphalium uliginosum)  Marsh Cudweed, Cottonweed, Cotton Dawes

Grows in wet sandy places from 3 to 6 inches high, and has branched, woolly stems. Very downy, narrow leaves overtop clustered terminal flower heads. Flower bracts are pale brown, and bloom in August and September. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Astringent.

DAISY (Bellis Perennis)

Anyone who has a lawn must know this plant! FLOWERS and LEAVES. Alterative.

DAMIANA (Turnera aphrodisiaca)

Comes from Central America, and can be bought from herbal stockists. Aphrodisiac, Diuretic, Tonic.

DANDELION (Taraxacum officinale)

Needs no description. ROOTS and LEAVES. Diuretic, Tonic, Aperient.

DEVIL'S BIT (Scabiosa Succisa)  Ofbit, Premorse

Grows in heaths and pastures. Slender little branched plant with hairy stems, few, oblong, smooth-edged leaves, and terminal heads of purplish-blue flowers, which bloom from July to October. Root solid and abrupt, as if bitten off. The saying is that the devil envied the root because of the good it might do mankind, so he bit a chunk Off! ROOT, LEAVE, Diaphoretic, Demulcent, Febrifuge

DILL (Anethum graveolens)

Mediterranean plant which grows under cultivation in this country. SEEDS and LEAVES. Carminative, Stomachic, Diaphoretic.

DOCK, WATER. (Rumex hydrolapathum) Great Water Dock, Red Dock, Bloodwort

This is the largest of the dock family, growing 6 feet tall, in or very near rivers, ditches, ponds or marshy places, Has narrow elliptical leaves, tapering at both ends, the lower ones heart-shaped at the base. The hollow stem is branched, and small flowers are greenish-yellow with white heads which soon turn brown. They bloom in July and August. Roots are large, reddish-brown with porous bark, and honeycomb-type cells, ROOT. Alterative, Detergent.

ELDER (Sambucus nigra)  Black Elder, European Elder

Grows in woods and hedges all over Britain, and when un-trimmed, reaches 20 feet. Young branches are full of light, spongy pith, and the bark is grey-green. Leaves are dark green and smooth, and in June and July, the creamy masses of blossom are lovely to see and smell. In autumn they turn to purple-black berries. FLOWERS, ROOTS, LEAVES and BERRIES. Alterative, Diuretic, Diapharetic, Emollient.

ELECAMPANE (Inula helenium)  Elfwort, Scabwort

Grows in fields and waste ground, from 3 to 4 feet tall. Leaves are oblong, wrinkled, downy underneath and toothed. Golden-yellow flowers are 2 to 3 inches across the heads, and bloom in July and August. Roots are thick with many branches, and look a bit like horseradish, but have a faint smell of camphor. ROOT. Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Expectorant.

ERYNGO (Eryngium maritimum)  Sea Holly

Grows on sandy sea coasts. Is a short, rigid, holly-like, prickly plant covered with pale blue-green sheen or bloom. Blue flowers grow in dense heads in July and August. The spreading roots are large and fleshy. ROOTS. Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Expectorant.

EUPHORBIA (Euphorbia pilulifera)

Grows in India and can be bought from herbal stockists. Anti-Asthmatic, Pectoral.

EYEBRIGHT (Euphrasia officinalis)  Birdeye, Brighteye

Grows on commons, heaths, meadows and sea cliffs, but caries widely in development according to the type of soil, casually about 6 inches high. Lower leaves are opposite, alternate. They are small, dark green, oval, pointed, deeply cut, and stalkless. Small flowers vary in colour from white to purple, with striped yellow throats, and bloom in July and August. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Tonic, Astringent.

FENNEL (Foeniculum vulgare)  Hinojo

Grows wild on sea cliffs and downs, or can be cultivated. Tall, bushy plants grow 3 to 4 feet high with long shiny stems and leaves divided into feathery segments. Light yellow flowers, in umbels, bloom in June. SEEDS. Stomachic, Stimulant, Carminative.

FEVERFEW (Chrysanthemum Parthenium or Matricaria Pa.) Featherfew, Featherfoil, Batchelor's Buttons

Grows wild in hedges, on banks, or can be cultivated. A pretty little plant, about 18 inches high, with deeply cut yellowish-green leaves. Daisy-like flowers, with yellow centers and white petals, blooms in July and August. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Aperient, Carminative, Bitter.

FIGWORT, KNOTTED (Scrophularia Nodosa) Throatwort

Grows in damp, bushy places and smells unpleasant. Grows 3 to 4 feet high on a square stem with blunt angles. Smooth, heart-shaped leaves taper to points. Dingy greenish-purple flowers grow in forked, loose clusters in June and July. LEAVES. Diuretic, Anodyne.

FLAG, YELLOW (Iris pseudacorus)

Grows tall in wet fields and marshes, with stiff typical sword like leaves. Iris flowers are large, bright yellow, and bloom from May to July. ROOT and FLOWERS. Astringent, Cooling.

FUMITORY (Fumaria officinalis)  Earth Smoke

Grows erect on thin stems in fields and waste ground. Has deeply-cut, sea-green leaves and little rose-red flowers which cluster on the tops of spindly stalks from May to November. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Tonic, Diuretic, Aperient.

GARLIC (Allium sativum)

Is related to onions and can be garden grown or bought from  greengrocers. ROOT. Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Expectorant.

GENTIAN (Gentiana lutea)

Grows in France and Spain and can be bought from herbal stockists. ROOT. Bitter, Tonic.

GLADWYN (Iris foetidissima)  Stinking Gladwyn, Galdwine, Stinking Iris

Grows mainly in woods and hedges in the west and south-west of England. Typical iris with sword-shaped leaves and slightly flattened stems. Flowers are a dull-leaden colour, and if the plant is bruised, it has a horrible Smell. ROOT. Anti-Spasmodic, Cathartic, Anodyne.

GOLDEN ROD, WILD (Solidago virgaurea)

Grows mainly in dry woods, z to 3 feet high, with very few branches. Has rough angular stems and simple serrated leaves which become narrower, as they get higher. Terminal clusters of small bright yellow flowers bloom from July to September. LEAVES. Aromatic, Carminative, Stimulant.

GOLDEN SEAL (Hydrastis canadensis)

Grows in North America, but the powdered root can be bought from herbal stockists. Tonic, Laxative, Alterative, Detergent.

GOUTWORT (Aegopodium podagraria)  Goutweed, Ashweed, Ground Ash, Herb Gerarde

Common and very troublesome garden weed with creeping roots and large, three-lobed leaves, growing in groups of three. White flowers bloom in May and June. LEAVES and ROOT. Diuretic, Sedative

GRINDELIA (Grindelia camporum)

Grows in California and can be bought from herbal stockists. Anti-Asthmatic, Diuretic, Tonic.

GROMEL (Lithospermum officinale)  Common Gromwell, Grey Millet.

Grows in dry stony places, or a garden variety can be cultivated. Reaches 2 to 3 feet high with masses of branches towards the top. Leaves are oblong, tapering to a point, bristly above, hairy beneath. Small, yellowish-white flowers bloom in June and July, and the resultant seeds are hard, white and highly polished. SEEDS. Diuretic.

GROUND IVY  (Glechoma hederacea or Nepeta G.) Alehoof, Gill-go-over-the-ground, Cat's Foot, Turn Hoof, Hay Maids Grows in hedges and waste ground, and is a garden weed. Has kidney-shaped leaves on creeping stems. Bright, purple-blue flowers grow in clusters of three in angles between leaves and stems, and bloom from April to June. I think I should point out that many people confuse Goutwort (Ground Ash) with ground ivy, but these two are totally different plants. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Astringent, Diuretic, Tonic.

GROUNDSEL (Senecio vulgaris)

Needs no description. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Diuretic, Diaphoretic, Hepatic.

HAWKWEED (Hieracium)

There are over l00 hawkweeds classified as distinct species. The plant is very common on waste ground, dry paths, etc., and should not be too hard to identify. Generally speaking it grows from 2 inches to 2 feet high, with large, rather torn-looking dandelion-type leaves from the base of the stems. Yellow, dandelion-like flowers have petals set in double rows, and grow on longish, hairy stalks, from May to July. Flower stems branch out at each joint. Herbal qualities are generally the same throughout the family, but Mouse-ear (see p. 145) is the most commonly used species. If you wish to try any of the other 99, refer to botanical books for exact identifications. ENTIRE PLANT.

HAWTHORN (Crataegus oxyacantha)  English Hawthorn, Haw, White-thorn, May

Needs no description. White or pink flowers bloom in May, and red berries ripen in autumn. LEAVES and BERRIES. Cardiac Tonic.

HAZEL (Corylus avellana)

Needs no description. NUTS. Nutritive.

HEARTSEASE (Viola tricolor)  Wild Pansy.

Needs no description. Just like miniature cultivated pansies. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Diaphoretic, Diuretic.

HERB PATIENCE (Rumex alpinus)  Monk's Rhubarb

Not a very common plant which grows near buildings, mainly in the north of the country. Is a member of the `dock' family, and grows on tall stalks, with broad, long, green leaves. Branched tops to the stalks have reddish or purple flower July and August. ROOTS. Gentle laxative, Tonic.

HERB ROBERT (Geranium Robertianum)  Bloody Crane's Bill (this is really G. sanguineum, but is not nearly so common as G. Robertianum)

Grows in hedges and by roadsides, from 6 to 12 inches, spreading stems. Leaves grow in groups of 3 to 5 with deeply cut leaflets, and minute points on the segments. It is distinguished by its red hairy stems. Towards autumn, the leaves also turn red. Small, elegantly veined, bright reddish-purple flowers bloom for most of the summer. The whole plant has a strong unpleasant smell. LEAVES. Alterative, Antiseptic.

HOLLY (ilex aquifolium)  Holm, Hulm, Hulver Bush

Needs no description, but beware, all parts of this shrub have rather violent effects and the berries are POISONOUS. LEAVES, Febrifuge, Cathartic.

HONEYSUCKLE (Lonicera periclymenum)  Wild Woodbine

Climbs up hedges, etc., to 30 feet high with upper leaves free, often downy underneath. The flowers red inside, yellow out, bloom in July and often again in October. The garden variety is similar, but its Latin name is Lonicera caprifolium. ENTIRE PLANT. Expectorant. Laxative.

Hops (Humulus lupulus)

Grows wild in bushy places, climbing and twisting round the host plant. Has both male and female flowers, both greenish, Females turn into the familiar cone-like catkins, and flower from June to September. The leaves are serrated. FLOWERS, Tonic, Anodyne, Diuretic.

HOREHOUND, WHITE (Marrubium vulgare)

Is not very common, grows mostly in waste ground, from 1 to 2 feet high, on bushy, downy stems. Leaves are wrinkled, egg-shaped and deeply toothed. Small white flowers bloom during July in thick rings just above the upper leaves. The whole plant is aromatic and bitter. ENTIRE PLANT. Bitter Tonic, Expectorant, Aromatic, Diuretic.

HORSERADISH (Armoracia rusticana or Cochlearia A.)

Not a native plant but grows wild in most places. Roc leaves are stalked, toothed, and often a foot long, not unlike dock leaves. Stems are about 3 feet high and have small yellow flowers. Roots look like thin parsnips. Horseradish grows easily in gardens, but could well take over! ROOTS. Stimulant, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emetic.

HORSETAIL (Equisetum arvense)  Shavegrass, Bottlebrush, Pewterwort

Grows in damp marshy places, and when it first appears, it looks rather like asparagus, but soon the stem gets hard and hollow. Thin, rush-like leaves spread around it like feathery spokes of a wheel, but pointing upwards. The whole plant is greeny-brown, and never flowers. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Diuretic, Astringent

HOUSELEEK (Sempervivum tectorum)  Common Houseleek, Sengreen

Grows mainly on roofs of cottages, or as a garden, or pot plant. Leaves are thick, juicy, fringed at the edges, and grow in compact rose-like tufts. Purple flowers bloom in July. LEAVES. Refrigerant, Astringent.

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)

Garden plant with clusters of blue flowers. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Diaphoretic, Stimulant, Carminative, Febrifuge.

JUNIPER (Juniperus communis)

Grows on limestone and chalk, from z to 5 feet high. A very prickly shrub with spreading leaves which are narrow, and taper to a point. Catkin-type flowers become dark, fleshy berries with seeds, smelling slightly of turpentine or gin. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Diuretic, Stimulant, Carminative.

KALE (Crambe maritime)  Seakale

Grows on shingle and sea cliffs, to about z feet high. A green broccoli-like plant with purplish sprouts in late winter, which eventually turn into whitish flowers. LEAVES and SPROUTS. Tonic, Nervine.

KNAPWEED (Centuarea Scabiosa)

Grows in meadows. Typical thistle without prickles, with outer scales of the flower heads, egg-shaped, downy and fringed. Leaves are deeply cut, rough, and the segments taper to points. It is larger than black knapweed from which it can be distinguished by the brighter coloured flowers, and the light-coloured fringe of the flower-head scales. ROOTS and SEEDS. Tonic, Diaphoretic, Diuretic.

LADIES BEDSTRAW (Calium verum)  Yellow Bedstraw

Grows on dry banks, about I 2 feet high, with 8 narrow leaves in whorls, grooved, and often downy underneath. Small yellow flowers bloom in clusters of 6 to 8 on stalks growing from between stems and leaves, in May and June. LEAVES and FLOWERS. Diuretic, Alterative.

LADIES MANTLE (Alchemilla vulgaris)  Lion's Foot

Grows on hilly pastures, about 6 inches tall. Kidney-shaped leaves have 7 to 9 blunt serrated lobes, and tiny greenish-yellow flowers bloom in loose clusters, without petals, from June to August. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Astringent, Styptic, Nervine, Antispasmodic.

LADIES SLIPPER (Cypridium pubescens)  Moccasin Flower

Roots can be bought ready prepared from herbal stockists. Anti-spasmodic, Nervine, Tonic.

LAVENDER (Lavendula officinalis)

There are many garden varieties, with flowers ranging from pale blue to deepest purple. FLOWERS and LEAVES. Stimulant, Carminative.

LETTUCE (Lactuca)

Needs no description. Wild varieties can still be found in parts of the country. LEAVES and SEEDS. Anodyne, Sedative, Expectorant

LILY OF THE VALLEY (Convallaria majalis)  May Lily

Needs no description. Apart from being cultivated, can be found growing wild in remote woods. LEAVES. Cardiac Tonic, Diuretic.

LIME FLOWERS (Tilia europaea)  Linden Flowers

The blossom on lime trees is at its best in July. Trees are large when fully grown, with broad, roundish, sharp-pointed, serrated leaves. Flowers hang on stalks beneath the leaves with 3 to 6 yellowish-white flowers to each stem. Lime trees have smooth bark, are decorative and sweet scented, so are usually found deliberately planted in avenues and drives. When the flowers begin to fade, they exude a sticky substance. Leave a car under one for a while and you will see what I mean! FLOWERS. Nervine, Stimulant, Tonic.

LINSEED (Flax)

Buy the seeds from herbal stockists. Pectoral, Demulcent, Emollient.

LIQUORICE (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

Is cultivated in large quantities both in this country and abroad. Roots are best bought from herbal stockists. Pectoral, Demulcent, Expectorant, Emollient.

LOOSESTRIFE, PURPLE (Lythrum salicaria)  Willowstrife

Grows z to 4 feet high on river banks among sedges and rushes, sending up tall tapering spikes of purple flowers, which seen from a distance look a bit like foxgloves. Leaves are opposite, long, narrow, and heart-shaped at the base. Flowers grow in whorled, leafy spikes, and bloom in July and August. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Febrifuge, Astringent, Alterative.

LOVAGE (Levisticum officinale)

Garden herb with thick erect stems, reaching about 5 feet tall. Leaves are like celery leaves, and yellow flowers grow in umbels. ROOT. Diuretic, Carminative.

LUNGWORT

There are two completely different plants both under this common name. Both are described so as to avoid confusion. Oddly enough, their uses are almost identical.

LUNGWORT (Sticta pulmonaria)  Oak Lungs, Lungmoss

Flat greyish or green-brown lichen. Has forked lobes I inch broad, which narrow towards the centre. The top surface has concave dips, and correspondingly, the underside has raised bumps. Grows on oak and beech trees. ENTIRE PLANT. Astringent, Mucilaginous, Pectoral, Alterative.

LUNGWORT (Pulmonaria officinalis)

Grows in woods or can be cultivated. Has egg-shaped leaves with distinct light spots. Pretty blue and pink flowers bloom in April and May. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Astringent, Mucilaginous, Pectoral, Alterative.

MARIGOLD (Calendula officinalis)  Marygold, Garden Marigold, Calendula, Pot Marigold

Grows wild in southern Europe, but is often seen in British gardens, with bright orange and yellow flowers. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Stimulant, Diaphoretic, Anti-Spasmodic, Alterative.

MARJORAM, SWEET (Origanum Majorana)  Knotted Marjoram Grows wild in the Mediterranean area, and is cultivated in British gardens. LEAVES. Tonic, Emmenagogue, Stimulant.

MARJORAM, POT (Origanum onites)

Hardy garden herb. LEAVES. As above, but not so strong. Flavouring.

MARJORAM, WILD (Origanum vulgaris)  Origano, Eastward Marjoram, Grove Marjoram

Has creeping roots which at intervals send up brownish, hard stalks, with small dark green leaves, and clusters of purple flowers. Grows wild in dry, bushy places, or can be cultivated. LEAVES. Emmenagogue, Stimulant.

MARSHMALLOW (Althea officinalis)  Guimauve, Mallards, Schloss Tea

Grows on marshes near the sea, about 3 feet high. Leaves are 3 to 5 lobed, soft and downy on both sides. Numerous, small, bluish flowers bloom in August and September. ENTIRE PLANT. Demulcent, Emollient, Diuretic.

MASTERWORT (Peucedanum ostruthium)

Not a native plant and only grows wild in moist meadows in Wales, Yorkshire and Scotland. Grows about z feet high on a hollow stem, with a few broad, serrated leaf segments. It looks a bit like angelica, and they are both Umbelliferae. ROOTS. Stimulant, Anti-Spasmodic, Carminative.

MEADOWSWEET (Filipendula ulmaria)  Queen of the Meadow, Bridewort, Lady of the Meadow

Grows in wet ditches, meadows and riversides, from 2 to 4 feet tall. Darkish-green leaves are downy on the undersides, and opposite each other, alternate pairs being much smaller. Terminal leaflets are large and 3-lobed. Yellowish-white flowers crowd into compound plumes, are very fragrant, and bloom in July and August. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Aromatic, Astringent, Diuretic, Tonic.

MELILOT (Melilotus officinalis)  King's Clover, Ribbed Melilot

Found wild on sandy soil, or can be cultivated. Grows from 2 to 3 feet high with serrated leaves in groups of three, and has two horns at the base of each leaf stalk. Small, pale yellow flowers are in one-sided clusters, and bloom from June to September. They have a pleasant hay-like smell. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Aromatic, Emollient, Carminative.

MIGNONETTE, WILD (Reseda lutea)

Grows mainly on chalky soils and waste ground, about I foot high. Leaves are deeply cut, and yellowish-green flowers bloom all round the central stem With 6 different-sized petals, in July and August. Has a typical sweet smell, stronger in the garden varieties. There are several types of cultivated mignonette, the most common being Sweet Mignonette (Reseda odorata). WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Nervine, Anodyne.

MILKWORT (Polygala vulgaris)  Rogation Flower, Common Milkwort

Grows commonly on rough pastures and banks, with narrow leaves. A tiny plant with star-like flowers of blue, pink or white, which bloom from June to August. ENTIRE PLANT. Laxative, Galactagogue.

Mints (Mentha)

The most common and useful mints are all under this heading.

	* GARDEN MINT (M. viridis)

Needs no description. LEAVES. Stimulant, Carminative, Antispasmodic.

	* APPLE MINT (M. alopercuroides)

Has variegated green leaves, bordered by cream, and cream-coloured flowers. Has a distinct smell and flavour of apples. LEAVES. As other mints.

	* PENNYROYAL (M. pulegium)

Grows wild in damp sandy places with the lower part of the stem lying on the ground, and small oval leaves in distinct whorls. Purple flowers grow in whorls. It can be cultivated, and is the smallest of the mints. LEAVES. Carminative, Diaphoretic, Emmenagogue, Nervine.

	* PEPPERMINT (M. piperita)  Brandy Mint, Curled Mint, Balm Mint

Grows wild in damp sandy places near rivers and streams, or can be cultivated. Has purplish angular stems 3 to 4 feet high and stalked, serrated, slightly hairy leaves, and lilac-coloured flowers. LEAVES. Carminative, Stomachic, Stimulant.

	* ROUND-LEAVED MINT (M. rotundifolia)

Grows wild mainly in the south-west near the coast, or can be cultivated. Leaves are nearly round, very wrinkled, and stalkless. Pinkish flowers bloom in compact spikes in late summer. LEAVES. Stimulant, Stomachic, Carminative.

	* SPEARMINT (M. spicata)

Grows 2 to 2 1/2 feet high, and is the variety most usually bought dried or from greengrocers. Very easy to cultivate. LEAVES.  Stimulant, Stomachic, Carminative.

MISTLETOE (Viscum album)  European or Birdlime Mistletoe

Familiar parasitic plant which uses apple, hawthorn, or oak as its host. LEAVES. Nervine, Anti-Spasmodic, Carminative, Tonic.

Mosses

There are many species of mosses, but herbally only these need to be mentioned.

	* HAIR MOSSES (Polytrichales)

Often grow on heaths where the soil has been burnt, and form extensive areas of attractive close `turf', not more than an inch or so high. When the moss is fertile, it is surrounded by rosettes of brightly coloured bracts, which look like tiny flowers. In the summer, capsule cases become very shiny and red, and until the spores are ripe, these are protected by large whitish, hairy covers. Diuretic.

	* BOG or PEAT MOSSES (Sphagnum)

Grows in very wet places on peaty heaths, moors, in bog pools, on the banks of damp ditches, etc., particularly in acid conditions. When storage cells are full, the plant is green or tinged with colour, but if these cells dry out; the whole plant becomes white and brittle. Antiseptic, Cooling.

	* ICELAND MOSS (Cetraria islandica)

This is really a lichen, but for the purposes of this book it is under the general heading of mosses. Is one of the few types of lichen that is edible, in fact it is highly nutritious, and grows mainly on heather moors in the north of the country. Has a forked, chestnut brown thallus, often reddish at the base, and grows erect with regular, short black spines, slightly curved, especially if the plant is dry. The lower surfaces often have white spots. Demulcent, Tonic, Nutritive.

MOTHERWORT (Leonurus cardiaca)

Grows in hedges and waste ground, from 2 to 3 feet high. Leaves are deeply cut into 3 to 5 narrow pointed segments, but the upper ones are very narrow and smooth-edged. Light purple flowers, in cups with prickly teeth, grow in whorls and bloom in August. LEAVES. Anti-Spasmodic, Nervine, Emmenagogue.

MOUNTAIN FLAX (Linua catharticum)

Grows in dry pastures, on straight slender stems, not more than 6 inches high. Leaves are long, lower ones broader. Numerous small white flowers bloom in loose drooping clusters in June and July. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Laxative, Cathartic.

MOUSE-EAR (Hieracium pilosella)

Grows on single leafless stems 2 to 10 inches high. Leaves form small rosettes around the base of the stems, and are small, oblong, smooth-edged, with a few long hairs above, and hoary underneath with down. The flowers are typical, but are often reddish on the underside. ENTIRE PLANT. Astringent, Tonic, Expectorant.

MUGWORT (Artemisia vulgaris)  Felon Herb

Grows in hedges and waste ground, about 3 feet high. Has tough, grooved, reddish stems, and the leaves are deeply cut, green above and white below. Purple flowers grow in clusters in July and August. LEAVES. Emmenagogue, Diuretic, Diaphoretic.

MULBERRY (Morus nigra)

Red fruit looks rather like over-large raspberries, and grows on large trees, usually cultivated in gardens. FRUIT. Nutritive, Refrigerant, Laxative.

MULLEIN (Verbascum thapsus)  Blanket Herb, Candle Flower

Grows wild in dry sunny places, from 2 to 5 feet high. Leaves grow all up the stem and are large and flannel-like, woolly on both sides. Yellow flowers grow in dense club-shaped spikes in July and August. LEAVES and FLOWERS. Demulcent, Astringent, Pectoral.

MUSTARD (Sinapis alba)

Ordinary yellow mustard which makes such a splash when fields of it are grown in chalk country. Buy SEEDS Or POWDER. Irritant, Stimulant, Diuretic, Emetic.

NASTURTIUM (Trapaelum)

This bright garden plant needs no description. LEAVES and SEEDS. Antiseptic, Vermifuge.

NETTLES (Urtica dioica) Stinging Nettles

There are three types, great, small and Roman, the main difference being in size. All have greenish flowers, and sting when the leaves are lightly touched. LEAVES. Diuretic, Astringent, Tonic.

OAK (Quercus robur)

Needs no description. BARK. Tonic, strong Astringent,: Antiseptic.

OATS (Avena sativa)

Needs no description. Buy from herb shops. Nerve Tonic, Stimulant, Anti-Spasmodic, Nutritive.

ONION (Allium cepa)

Need I say more! Spanish or Portuguese are particularly good ROOT. Diuretic, Expectorant.

ORRIS ROOT (Iris florentina)  Florentine Orris, Garden Iris

When the root is cleaned and dried it develops a pleasant violet-like scent. Bought from herbal stockists, it will probably have been imported from Italy or Morocco. ROOTS. Fragrant.

PANSY  (see Heartsease)

PARSLEY (Petroselinum crispum)

Needs no description. LEAVES. Aperient, Diuretic, Emmenagogue.

PARSLEY PIERT (Alchemilla arvensis)  Field Lady's Mantle, Parsley Breakstone

Grows on waste ground, from 3 to 6 inches high. Small inconspicuous weed with 3 cleft, wedge-shaped, downy leaves. Minute, greenish, stalkless flowers grow in junctions between stems and leaves, and bloom from May to August. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Demulcent, Diuretic.

PEACH (Prunus persica)

Needs no description. BARK and FLOWERS. Sedative, Diuretic, Expectorant.

PENNYWORT (Cotyledon umbilicus-veneris or Umbilicus rupestris) Kidneywort

Grows mainly in rock crevices, walls, and on acid soils. Pale green, heart-shaped leaves have their stalks coming from their centers. Hollow flower stems grow about 6 inches long, and greenish-white flowers hang down, looking very much like bluebells. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Diuretic, Hepatic, Astringent.

PERIWINKLE (Vinca major)  Greater Periwinkle

Grows near buildings, about a foot high, with trailing, smooth, cylindrical stems, and shiny, egg-shaped, large, deep green leaves. Purplish-blue flowers bloom in May and June. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Astringent, Tonic.

PHEASANT'S EYE (Adonis autumnalis)  Adonis, False Hellebore

Not a very common plant, but can sometimes be found in cornfields. Grows 8 to 12 inches high, with finely cut leaves. Flowers are buttercup-shaped, but bright scarlet, dark at the base, and bloom in September and October. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Cardiac Tonic, Diuretic.

PINE (Pinus species)  All Fragrant

FIR (Pinus palustris)

LARCH (Larix -Europaea)

Use YOUNG SHOOTS and NEEDLES from all these trees.

PLANTAIN (Plantago major)  Great Plantain, Ripple Grass, Waybread

Grows in meadows, hedgerows, fields, gardens, etc. Broad, dark, large leaves, each with seven veins along its length. Purple-brown flowers, like little bullrushes, bloom in June. SEEDS and LEAVES. Cooling, Alterative, Diuretic.

POPLAR (Populus alba)  White Poplar

Has smooth ash-grey bark, lobed leaves covered with cottony down on the underside. Roots have many suckers. BARK. Febrifuge.

POPPY (Papaver rhoeas)  Common Red, Field Poppy

Found in fields and hedges. Rather delicate small wild poppy. LEAVES, FLOWERS and SEEDS. Anodyne, Expectorant, Narcotic.

PRIMROSE (Primula officinalis)

Needs no description. FLOWERS. Astringent, Anti-Spasmodic, Vermifuge.

PURSLANE, GOLDEN (Portulaca sativa)
PURSLANE, GREEN (Portulaca oleracae)

Both grow wild or under cultivation. They have fleshy red stems, and either green or yellow leaves. LEAVES, SEEDS. Refrigerant, Laxative, Vermifuge.

QUINCE (Pyrus cydonia)

Usually found in orchards and gardens. The fruit is ripe (or as ripe as it will ever be!) in September and October. FRUIT and SEEDS. Mucilaginous, Demulcent.

RAGWORT (Senecio jacobaea)  Dog Standard, Fireweed, Ragweed, St. James Wort, Staggerwort, Stinking Nanny

Grows on waste ground, from 2 to 3 feet tall. Feather-like leaves have smaller lobes at the base, and clusters of yellow flowers at the top of strong stems, have smooth petals and hairy centers. Bloom from July to September. EXTERNAL USE ONLY. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Diaphoretic, Detergent, Antiseptic.

RASPBERRY (Rubus idaeus)

Needs no description. LEAVES and FRUIT. Astringent, Stimulant.

ROCKET (Rorippa sylvestris)  Creeping Yellow Cress

Grows on river banks and in wet places on creeping rootstocks and stems which reach from 9 to 18 inches. Dull, green leaves are deeply cut, the upper ones smaller than the lower. Yellow, 4-petalled flowers grow on stiff stalks in June and July. LEAVES and SEEDS. Anti-Scorbutic.

ROSE (Rosaceae)

A few good herbal roses are: The Apothecary's Rose (R. gallica), deep pink Damask Rose (R. damascena) and Old Cabbage Rose (R. centifolia). They all have much scent and flavour. PETALS and HIPS. Fragrant, Tonic, Astringent.

ROSEMARY (Rosemary officinalis)

Garden shrub. LEAVES. Tonic, Astringent, Diaphoretic.

RUE (Ruta graveolens)  Herb of Grace, Herbygrass, Stinking Rue

'.... Here did she fall a tear, here in this place 
I'll set a bank of rue, sour herb of grace: 
Rue, even for ruth, here shortly shall be seen, 
In remembrance of a weeping queen.'

(Richard II)

Garden Plant. LEAVES. Stimulant, Anti-spasmodic, Emmenagogue.

RUPTUREWORT (Herniaria glabra)

Not very common, found mainly in East Anglia on dry sandy soils. Creeps along the ground, with leaves narrowed below, and greenish-yellow flowers which bloom in August and September. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Astringent, Diuretic.

SAGE, RED (Salvia officinalis)  Garden Sage

Needs no description. LEAVES and FLOWERS. Aromatic, Tonic, Stomachic, Astringent.

ST. JOHN'S WORT (Hypericum perforatum)  Perforated St. John's Wort

Grows in woods and hedges to about 18 inches high, on woody, slender stems branching towards the top. Stalkless, elliptical leaves grow in pairs, with transparent dots on the tops, and black spots underneath. Numerous bright yellow flowers, dotted and streaked with purple, cluster at the ends of side branches in June and July. Many species of St. John's Wort are classified, but only the perforated variety is used herbally. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Slightly Astringent, Expectorant, Diuretic.

SAMPHIRE (Crithmum maritimum)

Sea, Small or Rock Samphire Grows on rocks that are washed by sea water. Long fleshy leaflets and yellow flowers are covered in greenish-blue bloom. The tops of the sappy stems have umbels of flowers, which die back and produce fennel-like seeds. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Digestive, Laxative.

SANICLE (Sanicula europaea)  Pool Root, Wood Sanicle

Grows in woods and shady places to about I2 feet high. Smooth, slender plant has glossy 3- to 5-lobed leaves. Dull white flowers bloom in loose clusters in June and July, and are succeeded by roundish, hooked prickly-covered seeds. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Astringent, Alterative.

SAVORY, SUMMER (Satureja hortensis)

Garden herb with tiny, pale lilac flowers. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Aromatic, Carminative, Stomachic.

SAVORY, WINTER (Satureja montana)

An evergreen garden shrub. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Aromatic, Carminative, Stomachic.

SCARLET PIMPERNEL (Anagallis arvensis)  Poor Man's Weather Glass

Pretty little weed with small almost round leaves at every joint, rather like chickweed. Masses of little red flowers with overlapping petals bloom from June to August, and only open when the sun shines. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Diuretic, Diaphoretic, Expectorant.

SEA LAVENDER (Statice limonium)  Marsh Rosemary

Grows in salt marshes, about I foot high, on angular stems. Oblong pointed leaves grow from the roots. Leafless flower stalks branch at the top into spreading, spike-like clusters of thin lavender-blue scentless flowers in July and August. ROOTS. Astringent.

SELF HEAL (Prunella vulgaris)  Heal All

Grows in pastures and waste ground on creeping, smooth, square stems to about I foot high. Flattened outer cases contain whorls of purplish flowers, with pairs of leaves at the base, and two small leaflets beneath each whorl. Blooms in July and August. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Astringent, Alterative.

SENNA (Cassia acutifolia)

Is imported, and can be bought from chemists and herbal stockists. Laxative, Cathartic.

SHEPHERD'S PURSE (Capsella bursa pastoris) Mother's Heart, Pickpocket, Shepherd's Sprout

Very common weed which varies from z inches to z feet in height depending on soil. The whole plant is hairy; root .. leaves deeply cut, and those on the stem are oblong, toothed and arrow-shaped at the base. Small white flowers bloom for most of the year, and the seed vessels are triangular. ENTIRE PLANT. Anti-Scorbutic, Stimulant, Diuretic.

SILVERWEED (Potentilla anserina)

Grows on waste ground on creeping stems, which root at the joints. Elegantly cut, silvery leaves are silky on both sides, particularly underneath. Bright yellow, buttercup-like flowers bloom on single flower stems, in June and July. LEWES and ROOT. Astringent, Tonic.

SKULLCAP (Scutellaria galericulata)  Mad-dog Weed

Grows by banks of rivers and ponds, from I z to 18 inches high. Leaves are oblong, tapering, heart-shaped at the base. Bright blue flowers grow in pairs in the angles between leaves and stem. When the inner petals fall off, outer ones close up, and look like capsules with lids. Flowers bloom from July to September. Garden Skullcap (Scutellaria laterifolia) can also be used. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Tonic, Nervine, Antispasmodic, Astringent.

SLIPPERY ELM (Ulmus Fulva)

Grows in North America. Buy powdered bark from chemists or herbal stockists. Emolient, Demulcent, Pectoral, Diuretic.

SOAPWORT (Saponaria officinalis)  Soaproot, Bouncing Bet, Fuller's Herb, Bruisewort

Grows in hedges and on waste, damp ground, from 2 to 4 feet high. Leaves are broadly elliptical, three-veined. Flowers bloom in dense terminal clusters, large, pink or flesh-coloured, from July to September. When the plant is bruised and rubbed in water, it lathers just like soap. EXTERNAL USE ONLY. LEAVES. Detergent, Alterative.

Sorrel (Rumex)

FRENCH SORREL (R. scutatus)

Garden herb that has broad fleshy leaves. LEAVES. Diuretic.

GARDEN or COMMON SORREL (R. acetosa)

Grows wild in meadows, or can be cultivated. Slender plant, about 2 feet high, with juicy stems and whorled spikes of reddish-green flowers. LEAVES. Refrigerant, Diuretic.

SHEEP'S SORREL (R. acetosella)

Grows in dry gravelly places. Is much smaller than the other varieties, with tapering pointed leaves. Often tinged with deep red at the end of summer. LEAVES. Diuretic.

SOUTHERNWOOD (Artemisia abrotanum)  Lad's Love, Old Man, Boy's Love

Grows on sandy heaths, or can be cultivated. Has creeping stems about z feet high, and greyish-green, slender, segmented leaves. Small yellow flowers in terminal, leafy clusters, bloom in August. LEAVES. Stimulant, Emmenagogue, Antiseptic, Detergent.

STONECROP, WHITE (Sedum album)

Grows mainly in south-western England on walls and limestone rocks, from 4 to 6 inches high, on flowering stems. Leaves are oblong, cylindrical, blunt, spreading, about 2 inch long. Flower clusters are branched, droop when in bud, and bloom in July and August. LEAVES and STALKS. Astringent.

STRAWBERRY (Fragraria vesca)

Needs no description. Wild or cultivated. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Astringent, Diuretic.

SUNDEW (Drosera rotundifolia)  Round-leaved Sundew, Dew plant, Red Rot

Grows on wet moors and peat bogs, from 2 to 6 inches high,. has small fibrous roots. Leaves are densely covered with red hairs, each of which is tipped with a drop of fluid. The plant is insectivorous. From the centre of the spreading leaves, rises a single, leafless stalk bearing several small, whitish flowers, which open only in sunshine. Flowers grow all on the same side of the stalk, which to begin with is curled down, and gradually uncoils. Flowers bloom in July and August. LEAVES. Pectoral, Expectorant, Demulcent, Anti-Asthmatic.

SWEET CICELY (Myrrhis odorata)  Smooth Cicely, Sweet Bracken, Cow Chervil, Sweet Fern

Grows mainly in northern counties of England and Scotland, to about 3 feet high. Slender rough stems have short hairs, are spotted with purple, and are swollen under the joints. White flowers grow in terminal clusters, droop when in bud, and bloom in June and July. Leaves taste like sugary aniseed. ENTIRE PLANT. Carminative, Stomachic, Expectorant.

TANSY (Tanacetum vulgare) Bachelor's Buttons, Bitter Buttons, Ginger Plant, Stinking Elshander, Stinking Willie

Grows wild in hedges and banks, or can be cultivated. Reaches about 2 feet high with rich-coloured feathery leaves, and long stalks branched at the top where flat, yellow-button flowers bloom from July to September. LEAVES and FLOWERS. Anthelmintic, Tonic, Emmenagogue.

TARRAGON (Artemisia dracunculus)

Garden herb with little greenish flowers and long narrow, sharp-pointed leaves. LEAVES. Aromatic.

THYME, COMMON GARDEN (Thymus vulgaris)

Small garden bush, with characteristic smell. LEAVES. Tonic, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic.

THYME, LEMON (Thymus citriodorus)

Garden herb about 6 inches tall with golden leaves and an aromatic, lemony smell. LEAVES. Fragrant.

THYME, WILD (Thymus serpyllum)

Grows wild on hilly heaths, dry pastures and roadsides. Many woody stalks grow from the root, and pairs of roundish, green leaves are set at the joints. Numerous heads of purple flowers bloom from June to August. LEAVES. Antispasmodic, Carminative, Tonic.

TOAD FLAX (Linaria vulgaris)  Yellow Toad Flax, Flaxweed, Butter and Eggs

Grows in hedges, from I to 2 feet high. Has masses of grass-like leaves, covered in greenish bloom. Dense spikes of yellow flowers, very much like spurred snapdragons, flower in August and September. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Astringent, Hepatic, Alterative, Detergent.

UVA-URSI (Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi)  Red Bear-Berry

Grows on mountainous heaths in the north. Small shrub with long trailing stems. Smooth, egg-shaped, evergreen leaves turn red in autumn. Pink-tipped flowers bloom in June and develop into small red berries. LEAVES. Mucilaginous, Astringent, Diuretic.

VALERIAN (Valeriana officinalis) Capon's tail. Great Wild Valerian

Grows about three feet high. Has pink flowers in May or June. Found in damp ditches and marshy places. The root (only part used) has a strong unpleasant smell. The short rootstock has many small branches and rootlets 3 or 9 inches long. ROOTS. Anodyne, Anti-Spasmodic, Nervine.

VERBENA, LEMON (Lip citriodora)

Garden herb with distinct smell and taste of lemon. LEAVES. Fragrant.

VERVAIN (Verbena officinalis)  Verbena

Grows on waste ground often near buildings, to about 18 inches high. Rough serrated leaves grow opposite each other in pairs, lower ones stalked, but upper ones close to the stem. Small, lilac-coloured, hooded flowers bloom on the ends of thin wiry spikes in May. LEAVES and FLOWERS. Nervine, Tonic, Emetic, Anti-Spasmodic, Sudorific.

VIOLET (Viola odorata)  Blue Violet, Sweet Violet

Grows on banks, etc., in all parts of the country. Has heart-shaped leaves, and flowers which vary from purple, lilac, pale rose, blue to white, and bloom from April to July. Typical scent. FLOWERS and LEAVES. Antiseptic, Expectorant, Alterative.

WALLFLOWER (Cheiranthus cheiri)

Needs no description, grows in cracks in old buildings, and crevices in cliffs. Is also cultivated. Herbalists recommend yellow-flowered variety. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND Fragrant, Cardiac, General Tonic.

WATERCRESS (Nasturtium officinale)

Grows in running water, about 2 feet high. Has dark grey , shiny leaves, and little greenish-white, 4-petalled flowers. Watercress can be grown in gardens if you have a stream, but do be sure that the water where it is growing is not polluted in any way. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Tonic, Antiseptic.

WATERDOCK (Rumex Hydrolapathum)

Roots dried and powdered of either Strawberry or Waterdock make first rate medicinal dentifrice.

WINTERGREEN (Pyrola minor)

Lesser Wintergreen Rare little plant that grows in woods, dunes and moors, mainly in the north. Has roundish, egg-shaped, smooth, veiny leaves, and round, pink-tinged flowers that bloom in July and August on a single flower stalk. LEAVES. Aromatic, Astringent, Stimulant.

There are various Wintergreens including an American species (Gaultheria procumbens), and one type of wintergreen oil is made from Sweet Birch (Betula lenta).

WITCH HAZEL (Hamamelis virginiana)

Spotted Alder, Snapping Hazel Can be bought, ready prepared, from herbal stockists and chemists. Astringent, Tonic, Sedative.

WOAD (Isatis tinctoria)

Grows between 1 and 3 feet high, mainly in Gloucestershire. The whole plant is covered with greenish-blue sheen, and oblong, lobed leaves grow direct from the root. Yellow flowers bloom in July and August. LEAVES. Dye.

WOODRUFF (Asperula odorata or Galium odoratum)

Grows in woods in chalk country on slender stems, about 8 inches high. Dark green, sharp-pointed, smooth leaves grow in clusters of 6 to 8. Small, white, funnel-shaped flowers bloom in May and June. ENTIRE PLANT. Diuretic, Tonic, Hepatic.

WOUNDWORT (Stachys sylvatica)

Wood or Hedge Woundwort Grows in woods and hedges, from 2 to 4 feet high. Branched, hairy plant, with stalked heart-shaped leaves with rounded teeth. Spikes of dull-purple flowers in whorls of 6 to 10 bloom in July and August. LEAVES. Astringent.

YARROW (Achillea millefolium) Milfoil, Nosebleed, ThousandLeaf

Grows in waste ground and hedges, from 12 to 18 inches high. Has rough, textured stems, with hairy, deeply-cut leaves. The flowers are like minute daisies and bloom from June to September. The whole plant has a slightly aromatic smell. WHOLE PLANT ABOVE GROUND. Diaphoretic, Stimulant, Tonic.

YERBA SANTA (Eriodictyon glutinosum)

Grows in California, and can be bought from herbal stockists. LEAVES. Aromatic, Tonic, Expectorant.

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Chapter 10 - Glossary

Alteratives - Medicines which correct poisoned conditions and restore healthy functioning.

Anodynes - Allay pain.

Anthelmintics - Worm remedies which kill and expel worms.

Antiscorbutics - Prevent Scurvy.

Antiseptics - Counteract putrefaction.

Anti-Spasmodics - Allay excessive involuntary muscular contractions.

Aphrodisiacs - Sexual stimulants.

Aperients - Stimulate bowel action.

Aromatics - Disperse wind in stomach and bowels, and counteract griping tendencies. Have a pleasant spicy smell.

Astringents - Binding, causing costiveness. Promote greater density and firmness of tissue. Cool and contract tissue.

Cardiac - Pertaining to the heart.

Carminatives - Relieve flatulence in stomach and bowels.

Cathartics - Promote bowel evacuation, usually violent.

Demulcents - Soothe mucous membranes.

Detergents - Clean and purge.

Diaphoretics - Promote increased perspiration.

Diuretics - Promote the secretion and discharge of urine.

Emetics - Cause vomiting.

Emmenagogues - Provoke and enhance menstrual flow.

Emollients - Soften and counteract dryness of internal and external surfaces.

Expectorants - Increase secretion and ejection of mucus from the respiratory organs.

Febrifuges - Reduce fever by promoting perspiration.

Fragrant - Smell sweet.

Galactagogues - Promote secretion of milk.

Hepatics - Influence the liver.

Laxatives - Gently loosen the bowels.

Lymphatic - Glandular.

Mucilaginous - Secreting mucous.

Narcotics - Induce sleep.

Nausea - Feeling sick.

Nervines - For treating nervous pain and irritation.

Nutritives - Body building.

Pectoral - Relating to the chest or lungs.

Pulmonary - Relating to the lungs.

Purgatives - Cleansing, powerful bowel evacutives.

Refrigerants - Reduce fever by inducing perspiration.

Sedatives - Calm nerves, as Nervines.

Stimulants - Promote increased nervous sensibility, and general function.

Stomachics - Stimulant medicines which act directly upon the stomach.

Styptics - Stop bleeding.

Sudorifics - Induce increased perspiration.

Therapeutic - Healing.

Tonics - Medicines which improve condition.

Vermicides - Agents which kill worms but do not necessarily expel them.

Vermifuges - Agents which expel worms but do not necessarily kill them.

Vomiting - Being sick.

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End