Lavender.
Lavendula.
A common plant in our gardens, native of the warmer parts of Europe; it is of a shrubby nature in the stem, but the rest is herbaceous. It grows a yard high. The trunk, or main stem is thick, woody, firm, and covered with a whitish bark. The young shoots from this, are tender and greenish; and on these stand the leaves. They are long, narrow, and of a pale green colour, and stand two at each joint. The stalks which bear the flowers are square, green, and naked; the flowers stand in short spikes, or ears; they are small, blue, and very fragrant; the cups of the flowers are whitish.
These flowers are the part used; they are good against all disorders of the head and nerves. They may be taken in the form of tea. The famous Spirit of lavender called palsy drops, and the sweet lavender water are made with them. The spirit of lavender called palsy drops is thus made best.
Put into a small still a pound of lavender flowers, and five ounces of the tender tops of rosemary, put to them five quarts of common molasses spirit, and a quart of water: distil off three quarts; put to this cinnamon and nutmegs, of each three quarters of an ounce, red sanders wood half an ounce; let these stand together a week, and then strain off the spirit.
The lavender water is thus made. Put a pound of fresh lavender flowers into a still with a gallon of molasses spirit, and draw off five pints. This is lavender water.
