Spunck, an excrescence growing out of black Birch, the Indians use it for Touchwood; and therewith they help the Sciatica, or Gout of the Hip, or any great Ach, burning the Patient with it in two or three places upon the Thigh, and upon certain Veins.[189]
2. Of such Plants as are proper to the Country.
To ripen any Impostume or Swelling. For sore Mouths. The New-Englands standing Dish.
Indian Wheat, of which there is three sorts, yellow, red, and blew; the blew is commonly Ripe before the other a Month: Five or Six Grains of Indian Wheat hath produced in one year 600. It is hotter than our Wheat and clammy; excellent in Cataplasms to ripen any Swelling or impostume. The decoction of the blew Corn, is good to wash sore Mouths with: It is light of digestion, and the English make a kind of Loblolly of it {53} to eat with Milk, which they call Sampe; they beat it in a Morter, and sift the flower out of it: the remainder they call Homminey, which they put into a Pot of two or three Gallons, with Water, and boyl it upon a gentle Fire till it be like a Hasty Pudden; they put of this into Milk, and so eat it. Their Bread also they make of the Homminey so boiled, and mix their Flower with it, cast it into a deep Bason in which they form the Loaf, and then turn it out upon the Peel, and presently put it into the Oven before it spreads abroad; the Flower makes excellent Puddens.[190]
Bastard Calamus Aromaticus, agrees with the description, but is not barren; they flower in July, and grow in wet places, as about the brinks of Ponds.[191]
To keep the Feet warm.
The English make use of the Leaves to keep their Feet warm. There is a little Beast called a Muskquash, that liveth in small Houses in the Ponds, like Mole Hills, that feed upon these Plants. Their Cods sent as sweet and as strong as Musk, and will last along time handsomly wrap’d up in Cotton wool; they are very good to lay amongst Cloaths. May is the best {54} time to kill them, for then their Cods sent strongest.