The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1821-07-18
ELDER. (sAmBucrs, LiaH.)

now in full bloom, are not sufficiently
known among us. In continental Eu-
rope it is valued, and is used with sue
cess in many diseases. Chaptal, Par
mentier, and others; in their admirable
dictionary of natural history, applied to
the arts and to rural and domestick econ
omy, say, that from Hippocrates down
to the present day it has been employed
in medicine, and its virtues and proper
ties unequivocally confirmed by Time
and experience.
Its flowers are resolutive, anodyne,
and emolient. Infused and drank like
tea, they provoke and establish perspi-
ration in certain feyers, colds, and ca
tarrhs; fried with eggs, they are in a.
greeable purge; applied as tomenta-
ton in cases of erysipelas, they reduce
the heat and irritation, and prove excel
lent in all disorders of the skin. Warm
ed and applied to the forehead and tenn
pies, they cure the megrim! They are
used in vapour bath for swollen legs,
particularly in the dropsy, in which dis
order the berries, inner bark, and roots
OF this plant, are used with great effect
as diuretick and purgative. From the
berries rob or thick juice is extracted,
which is given with success in bowel
complaints, and in the diseatary.
The flowers give fine perfume to
vinegar, and to wine the favour of mus
cat; apples, when laid on bed of these
flowers when dried, and then confined
from the air, acquire an exquisite taste
A decoction of its berries dyes linen,
when passed through alua water, Of a
green brown colour; and excellent BRAN
dy can be distilled from them.
An English farmer in the county of
Devonshire, in season when the whole
Of the vegetation in his neignbourhood
had been destroyed by caterpillars,
| grasshoppers, and other insects, observ-
ell that the Elder remained untouched,
in full health and vigour; this induced
him TO make an experiment, which was
attended with perfect success. With
boughs of the Elder tied together, he
went over his grounds, whipping and
brushing gently his cabbage plants, tur-
nips, and even wheat, which drove off
all the insects, who never returned. He
then tried the same operation on his
fruit trees with equal effect. Since this
discovery has been made known, some
boil the branches and leaves of this plant
in water, and then sprinkle this decoction
over young plants, which is said to pre-
serve them effectually from destruction
by insects. A particular account Of this
experiment was communicated many
years ago to the Royal Society, by Chris
TOPPER Outlet.
The leaves and flowers Of this plant,
when sprinkled with molasses, and laid
in places infested by cockroaches and
ants, will drive them off.-Nat. Intel.
A young man (said Dr. Franklin)
who is good at making excuses, viii
never be good for any thing else.
The consciousness Of genius is al.
ways at first accompanied with di6fdence.
No forward child, however extraor-
binary the promise Of his childhood,
ever produced any thing truly great.
Dandyism.-In the evening Of very
! hot summer day, foppish young gen.
tleman was lolling in one of the boxes
of a London tavern, waiting in kind Of
J languid listlessness for his dinner to be
served up. At last the waiter made his
appearance, and having placed chick
en- and some wine, sc. on the table, wa'
about to withdraw. 'sWaiter," said the
young gentleman with feeble voice
"cut up that chicken--it's labour
+ can't endure-the fatigue even Of eat
ing is a bore scarcely to be suffered.
: The waiter obeyed Presently he wa
= ordered to fill glass of wine, and han,
$ it to the lips Of the fop,. who receives
. it in an elegant reclining posture. Thi
2 scene diverted an Irish gentleman, VIII
i sat in an opposite box, feasting on roast
+ beef. F" Halloa," said he, "you waiter
= come here" The waiter came bowling
;, "Cut up that roast beef, (said the gen
q tleman, It's great bore to be hewini
at roast beef in hot weather." Tn
waiter obeyed. "Now stick it on fork
and reach it to my mouth" 'Twa
!. done. " Now my dear honey, wag m
- :. jaw, It's horrid bore to wag ones ow
J. jaw on summer day."
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