ALK The Anchusa latect, or Onosma eckioides, L. is a native of France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and some parts of Russia. Its peren- nial and woody root is, as it were, externally varnished with a beau- tiful carmine colour ; hence the fe- males of the last mentioned country steep it in oil, for the vain purpose of painting their faces. Another species, the Anchusa tlncloria, L. is imported from the Levant, but unprincipled dealers frequently dye the common gar- den-bugloss in a decoction of Brazil wood, and substitute it for the genuine root, which, as ob- tained from Montpeilier, is of a woody texture, externally blood- red, but internally white, without flavour, and of an acrid taste. Dodox.iEus affirms that, when transplanted to a cold climate, it loses its red colour. The Spanish wool, or Charta hispanica, is said to be prepared of this root: and Ruger, a late Ger- man writer, gives, in his " Pocket- book for Painters," the following directions for obtaining from it a beautiful purple tacket: take two ounces of the root finely powdered, and boil it for a few minutes in a lixivium made of pot-ash suffici- ently diluted : and, after the liquor has grown cold, precipitate the co- louring matter with a strong solu- tion of roach-alhim. The precipi- tate thus obtained must not be edul- corated or washed with water, as is done in similar processes ; because this ablution would carry off too many of the colouring particles. All the species of Anchusa may be propagated by seeds, which 'should be sown either in the spring or autumn, upon a bed of light sandy earth; and when the plants are strong enough to be removed, ALL fct they should be planted in beds two feet distant from each other, and watered, if the season require it, til] they have taken root. The al- kanet reared in this country, is greatly inferior to that winch is im- ported from the Levant. ALL-HEAL, Clown's, or Marsh Woundwort, the Stackys palustris, L. is an indigenous plant, growing on the sides of rivers and lakes, in low, moist grounds, and sometimes in corn fields. It is re- presented and described in Curtis' s Flora Londinensis, pi. 8, p. 24S. This plant has a fetid smell, and bitter taste. Formerly it was em- ployed in medicine as a vulnerary ; but at present we shall confine our account to its economical purposes. Linn-eus, the illustrious author of the prevailing system of botany, informs us, in his account of escu- lent plants, that the creeping roots of the all-heal are sought after with avidity by hogs; and that, from their farinaceous nature, they would well repay the trouble of collecting and converting them into flour, for the purpose of making bread. In the present distressing condition of the industrious poor, we feel it our duty to take particular notice of all such substitutes as would, if properly and timely resorted to, in a great mea- sure tend to avert or relieve a nati- onal calamity. — Sec Bread. Allium. See Garlick. ALLSPICE, Pimento, or Jamaica pepper. The berry, in its smell, resembles a mixture of cinnamon, nutmegs, and cloves, whence it has ed its name. It is milder than the East India pepper, and, when employed in whole grains, makes an useful ingredient in broth, and stewed dishes. In medicine, it forms the basis of a distilled water, a spi- rit and an essential oil; in which different
