Part 21

Oak of Hierusalem. See before.

Oak of Cappadocea. See before.

Earth-Nuts, differing much from those in England, one sort of them bears a most beautiful Flower.

For the Scurvy and Dropsie.

Sea-Tears, they grow upon the Sea banks in abundance, they are good for the Scurvy and Dropsie, boiled and eaten as a Sallade, and the broth drunk with it.

Indian Beans, better for Physick use than other Beans.

Indian Beans, falsly called French beans, are better for Physick and Chyrurgery {57} than our Garden Beans. Probatum est.

Squashes, but more truly Squontersquashes, a kind of Mellon, or rather Gourd, for they oftentimes degenerate into Gourds; some of these are green, some yellow, some longish like a Gourd, others round like an Apple, all of them pleasant food boyled and buttered, and season’d with Spice; but the yellow Squash called an Apple Squash, because like an Apple, and about the bigness of a Pome-water is the best kind; they are much eaten by the Indians and the English, yet they breed the small white Worms (which Physitians call Ascarides,) in the long Gut that vex the Fundament with a perpetual itching, and a desire to go to stool.

Water-Mellon, it is a large Fruit, but nothing near so big as a Pompion, colour, smoother, and of a sad Grass green rounder or more rightly Sap-green; with some yellowness admixt when ripe; the seeds are black, the flesh or pulpe exceeding juicy.

For heat and thirst in Feavers.

It is often given to those sick of Feavers, and other hot Diseases with good success.

{58} New-England Daysie, or Primrose, is the second kind of Navel Wort in Johnson upon Gerard; it flowers in May, and grows amongst Moss upon hilly Grounds and Rocks that are shady.

For Burns and Scalds.

It is very good for Burns and Scalds.

An Achariston, or Medicine deserving thanks.

An Indian whose Thumb was swell’d, and very much inflamed, and full of pain, increasing and creeping along to the wrist, with little black spots under the Thumb against the Nail; I Cured it with this Umbellicus veneris Root and all, the Yolk of an Egg, and Wheat flower, f. Cataplasme.

Briony of Peru, (we call it though it grown hear) or rather Scammony; some take it for Mechoacan: The green Juice is absolutely Poyson; yet the Root when dry may safely be given to strong Bodies.

Red and Black Currence. See before.

Wild Damask Roses, single, but very large and sweet, but stiptick.

Sweet Fern, the Roots run one within another like a Net, being very long and spreading abroad under the upper crust of {59} the Earth, sweet in taste, but withal astringent, much hunted after by our Swine: The Scotchmen that are in New-England have told me that it grows in Scotland.

For Fluxes.

The People boyl the tender tops in Molosses Beer, and in Possets for Fluxes, for which it is excellent.

Sarsaparilia, a Plant not yet sufficiently known by the English: Some say it is a kind of Bind Weed; we have, in New-England two Plants, that go under the name of Sarsaparilia: the one not above a foot in height without Thorns, the other having the same Leaf, but is a shrub as high as a Goose Berry Bush, and full of sharp Thorns; this I esteem as the right, by the shape and savour of the Roots, but rather by the effects answerable to that we have from other parts of the World; It groweth upon dry Sandy banks by the Sea side, and upon the banks of Rivers, so far as the Salt water flowes; and within Land up in the Country, as some have reported.

Bill Berries, two kinds, Black and Sky Coloured, which is more frequent.

{60} To cool the heat of Feavers, and quench Thirst.

They are very good to allay the burning heat of Feavers, and hot Agues, either in Syrup or Conserve.

A most excellent Summer Dish.

They usually eat of them put into a Bason, with Milk, and sweetned a little more with Sugar and Spice, or for cold Stomachs, in Sack. The Indians dry them in the Sun, and sell them to the English by the Bushell, who make use of them instead of Currence, putting of them into Puddens, both boyled and baked, and into Water Gruel.