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CULPEPER'S COMPLETE HERBAL

 

COMMON ALDER TREE

Description. This grows to a remarkable height, and spreads wide, if the soil and situation suit. The bark is brown, and the wood redder than elm or yew; the branches are very brittle, and easily broken; the bark of the branches is spotted, yellowish within, and tastes bitter and unpleasant. The wood is white, and full of pith; the leaves are broad, round and nervous, and somewhat like the leaves of the hazel; they are indented, green, shining, and clammy. It bears short brown anglets, like the beach or birch tree.

Place. It usually grows near water, or in moist watery places.

Time. It flowers in April and May, and yields ripe seed in September.

Government and virtues : It is a tree under the dominion of Venus, and of some watery sign or other, I suppose Pisces; and therefore the decoction, or distilled water of the leaves, is excellent against burnings and inflammations, either with wounds or without, to bathe the place grieved with, and especially for that inflammation in the breast, which the vulgar call an ague.

If you cannot get the leaves (as in winter it is impossible) make use of the bark in the same manner.

The leaves and bark of the Alder Tree are cooling, drying and binding. The fresh leaves laid upon swellings dissolve them, and stay the inflammations. The leaves put under the bare feet galled with travelling, are a great refreshing to them. The said leaves gathered while the morning dew is on them, and brought into a chamber troubled with fleas, will gather them thereunto, which being suddenly cast out, will rid the chamber of those troublesome bedfellows.


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