a chestnut should be taken when needed, and
repeated more or less often as required. It further promotes the
monthly flow of women. But the herb is possessed _odoris virosi
intolerabilis_, of a stink which remains long on the hands after
touching it. The whole plant is sprinkled over with the white,
pellucid meal, and contains much "trimethylamine," together with
osmazome, and nitrate of potash; also it gives off free ammonia.
The title, Orach, given to the Stinking Goosefoot, a simple of a
"most ancient, fish-like smell," and to others of the same tribe, is a
corruption of _aurum_, gold, because their seeds were supposed to
cure the ailment known popularly as the "yellow jaundice." These
plants afford no nutriment, [230] and, therefore, each bears the
name, _atriplex_, not, _trephein_, to nourish:--

"Atriplicem tritum cum nitro, melle, et aceto
Dicunt appositum calidum sedare podagram
_Ictericis_ dicitque Galenus tollere morbum
Illius semen cum vino saepius haustum."

"With vinegar, honey, and salt, the Orach
Made hot, and applied, cures a gouty attack;
Whilst its seeds for the jaundice, if mingled with wine,
--As Galen has said--are a remedy fine."

"Orach is cooling," writes Evelyn, "and allays the pituit humors."
"Being set over the fire, neither this nor the lettuce needs any other
water than their own moisture to boil them in." The Orach hails
from Tartary, and is much esteemed in France. It was introduced
about 1548.

GOOSEGRASS.

"Goosey, goosey, gander, whither do ye wander?" says an old
nursery rhyme by way of warning to the silly waddling birds not to
venture into hedgerows, else will they become helplessly fettered by
the tough, straggling coils of the Clivers, Goosegrass, or,
Hedgeheriff, growing so freely there, and a sad despoiler of
feathers.

The medicinal Goosegrass (_Galium aparine_), which is a highly
useful curative Simple, springs up luxuriantly about fields and waste
places in most English districts. It belongs to the Rubiaceous order
of plants, all of which have a root like madder, affording a red dye.
This hardy Goosegrass climbs courageously by its slender, hairy
stems through the dense vegetation of our hedges into open
daylight, having sharp, serrated leaves, and producing small white
flowers, "pearking on the tops of the sprigs." It is one of the
Bedstraw tribe, and bears [231] a number of popular titles, such as
Cleavers, Clithers, Rob