Herbs and Medical Plants.—
Are in great abundance in every part of the island, but as a list of them would be out of place in a work of this kind, it only remains for me to mention those which are in the greatest profusion under foot, and which, from close observation I have found to be most useful in medicine, cookery, and other purposes. They are:—wood-sage, camomile, samphire, lords and ladies, fools-stones, blue-bells, pennyworth,[A] ladies' smock, hagnebuts, eryngo,[B] fox-glove, night-shade, high-taper, mugwort, robin-run-in-the-hedge and mouse-ear, with numerous others.
[A] From a memorandum dated April 3, 1832, I find that pennyworth or hart's-tongue steeped in vinegar for twenty-four hours, to be the most efficient remedy for corns I ever knew, and on communicating it to a few others, they were pleased to acknowledge the same. I have many other memorandums on Guernsey herbs; but as they are written in Latin, and were mislaid up to the hour of publishing, are consequently omitted.
[B] Hops are antiseptic, and are an excellent thing for packing game in, for in a memorandum, Wednesday, September 7, 1842—"Received a hamper of grouse from a friend in Newcastle; were a fortnight at sea, and perhaps had been killed for upwards of a month: nevertheless, from their mouths and other parts being well stuffed with hops, arrived in pretty tolerable condition." Wild hops may be observed growing in several parts of the island, especially about some of the hedges in the Valle, and near the Friquet. Camomile flower is also remarkably abundant in this vicinity, and in a field called the Queen's meadow the ground is literally covered with it.—Memorandum, August 12, 1842.
Lords and Ladies.