Of Potatoes

Potatoes were originally brought from America, but not from Virginia as some have asserted; for their potatoes are as long as a child's leg and thigh, and not unlike them in shape, being probably what are called Spanish potatoes. The French call them topinumboes, from a country near the river of the Amazons, from whence they had them. They likewise grow wild in Brasil. No root ever came so much into use as this, for some poor people almost live upon them a great part of the year; which is a demonstration they are very nourishing,without any bad qualities. They are proper aliment to abate the acrimony of the blood and humours, as also to help the disorders of the breast and lungs. It is pity we have no account who it was that first brought them into England.

Of The Radish And Horse-Radish

Common radishes are only fit for use, when they are young, and easily broken. They promote urine, cleanse the kidneys, and whet the appetite; but they are apt to rife again on the stomach, which is very disagreeable to many. Horse radish is used only as a sauce to aliments, but may be made good use of in physick upon many occasions. It cleanses the stomach, promotes urine, and is good in the dropsy, the scurvy, a hoarseness, and a moist cough. The decoction of horse-radish in milk, is excellent for the wandring gout, and old rheumatic pains. It must be taken for a month early in a morning in bed, and the dose may be increased or diminished according to its effect; outwardly made into a liniment, it is good in palsies of the limbs and pains of the scurvy.

Of Turneps

Good turneps contain an oily balsamick juice, very useful to absorb the acrid salts of the blood and humours; and therefore yield very proper nourish-ment for those that are young, or to hot constitu-tions. The water that is squeezed out of boiled turneps, sweetened with sugar, is very good for a hoarseness and diseases of the lungs. Turneps are a little windy, especially when the stomach is weak.

Of Carrots And Parsnips

Carrots and parsnips arc very useful roots, be-cause they are very temperate, nourishing, and agreeable to all ages and constitutions. However, some have a natural antipathy to parsnips, while others are as extravagantly fond or them. Some affirm, when parsnips are too old, they disturb the brain; hence in some countries they arc called Madnips.

Of Skirrets

Skirrets are the most agreeable and wholesomest root that is planted in gardens, for which reason it is pity they are not more common. They should be chosen tender, easy to break, and of a sweet taste. They are nourishing, opening, provocative, increase the appetite, and agree with all ages and constitutions. They are one of the best remedies for spitting and pissing of blood, as also in the beginning of a consumption, a strangury, tenesmus, and a bloody flux. They may be boiled in milk or whey, and used constantly for diet.

Of Mustard-Seed

Mustard is very good to help digestion, to quicken the appetite, to thin gross humours in the stomach, and is proper for phlegmatic constitutions, and persons in years. The feed, as a medicine, is good in the scurvy, cachexy, green sickness, hypochondriac, sleepy diseases, and the rheumatism.