White Bryony, or more properly, the Red-berried Bryony, or Wild-wine ; the Bryonia alla or dioica, L. is a native plant, growing in many parts of England, under hedges and thickets. The root is perennial, large, often a foot in circumference ; the stem is several yards in length; the leaves nearly hand-shaped ; the flowers of a yellowish green colour, appearing in May and June; and the fruit is a smooth red berry, containing five or six seeds. Some curious persons have a method of caning these roots into human figures, and selling them as mandrakes; but this useful production may be converted to much better purposes. By long steeping, and cleansing in several waters, the roots may ultimately be deprived of all their acrimony and bitterness, so as to afford a tolerable flour; from which (if credit be due to the late Rev. Dr. BOHMER, senior of the University of Wittenberg, in Saxony), M. Morand has prepared both starch and bread.

Although this is generally considered as one of the poisonous native vegetables, yet there is reason to believe that, especially in summer, when the bitter juice has in a great measure ascended from the root to the stalk and branches, it may usefully be converted into bread : and as it grows to a prodigious size, a little trouble would be well rewarded.—Mr. Hollefear. states, that two or three of the berries have been eaten without any observable effect.

Bryony-root is purgative and acrid : its smell, when fresh, is strong and disagreeable; its taste nauseously bitter. In spring, it abounds with a thin, milky juice, which is so sharp as speedily' to excoriate the skin; but a great part of the acrimony, and almost the whole of the scent, is lost by drying. In summer, the root is less juicy, and weaker both in smell and taste, An extract pre pared in watery acts more mildly, and with greater safety, than the root in substance. When given in a quantity from half a dram to a dram, or half an ounce of it in-fused in wine, it proves a gentle purgative, and likewise operates powerfully by urine. Hence small doses of its milky juice have been strongly recommended by Ber-gius, for dropsical and asthmatic Complaints A cold infusion of the root, in water, is externally used in rheumatic pains, or the sciatica. In the form of a cataplasm, it proves a most powerful discutient. Decoctions made with one pound of the fresh root, are the best purgatives for horned cattle. In short, observes Dr. Withering, the active virtues of this plant entitle it to more attention than is bestowed on it at present.