This plant rises two feet in height: the leaves spring out from the ground very large, have a strong smell, and grow in clusters: root thick and full of fibres, of a redish yellow colour outwardly, and white within: flowers inconspicuous: seeds are inclosed in round balls, which lie on the top of the root close to the ground and covered with the large leaves, so that in order to find them, you must feel round the stalk close to the ground, and it is only one here and there that has these balls.

HISTORY.

It grows in moist meadows and in swamps, among rocks, and near running water, in all parts of the United States.

MEDICAL VIRTUES.

It is a powerful emmenagogue, an anthelmintic, anti-asthmatic, and anti-rheumatic medicine.

PREPARATION.

Gather the skunk balls in September from around the root, cut them into thin slices and hang them up to dry near the fire: when dry and pulverized sift the powder through a fine hair sieve, and put it in bottles well corked for use: dose of the powder, from half a tea-spoonful to a whole one in molasses every morning for three mornings, both before the full and change of the moon, to children troubled with worms, and on the fourth morning give them a wine glass of the purg ing worm sirup, (for which see worm sirup decoction.) Boil half a pound of the dry root in six quarts of water down to three; strain it and sweeten it with honey: dose a tea-cup full taken four times a day in asthmatic coughs; and to promote the menses a table-spoonful of rum may be put in a dish of the tea and drank at lying down.

The stalk is erect, tapering, and is four feet in height: leaves large, oval, fleshy, wrinkled, veined, on short winged foot-stalks, downy underneath; the bracteas attend on the flower-stalks are small spear shaped, and sessile: the flowers always on one side, are purple, bell shaped, marked internally with little dark coloured spots placed in whitish rings, and long hairs defend the entrance of the

tube; hence no insects ever approach this flower. The flower-stalks vary in length, at first they depend like the flowers, afterwards become erect, when they elevate a two celled capsule containing many blackish seed.

HISTORY.

This most elegant plant is raised in gardens, and is an exotic plant: flowers in July and seeds in September.

MEDICAL VIRTUES.

It would take a small volume to describe all its virtues, which different authors have ascribed to its different qualities. However, as it is a dangerous medicine in the hands of the unskilful, I will give a few descriptions of its qualities, with directions how it may be used with safety in families.

PREPARATION.

Take of the dryed bruised leaves of fox-glove four ounces, powder of masterwort root one ounce, leaves of rue and wormwood each two ounces, elecampane and comfrey root bruised each two ounces, lungwort and wild cherry tree bark each one ounce: put all the ingredients into a new two gallon earthen pot, and pour one gallon of boiling rain water on them, cover the pot and set it near the fire on hot ashes for twelve hours: after which strain the liquor through a linen cloth and add four quarts of honey, and let the pot stand near the

fire twelve hours longer: then strain the liquor and put it in bottles for use.

In all consumptive and asthmatic complaints, the patient may take a table spoonful of this balsam three or four times a day, in a tea-cup full of the following tea: put one ounce of skunk cabbage root and half an ounce of wild cherry tree bark, into a tea-pot, and pour boiling water on it and use it daily. The dose may be increased from a tablespoonful to a wine glass three times a day.