“Ilia soporiferum, parvas initura penates, Colligit agresti lene papaver humo. Dum legit oblito fertur gustàsse palato, Longamq{ue} imprudens exsoluisse famem”.—OVID. FAST. lib. iv. In a ground of mine called Swices (which is a neck of land at the upper end of the field called Shatcomb) growes abundantly a plant called by the people hereabout crow-bells, which I never saw any where but there. “Swice”, in the old English, signifies a neck. Dwarfe-elder (ebulus) at Box, &c. common enough: at Falston and Stoke Verdon, in the high waies. The juice of ebulus turnes haire black; and being mingled with bull’s fatt is Dr. Buller’s remedie for the gowte. The best way to dye haire browne is to take alhanna in powder, mix’t with fair water as thick as mustard: lay it on the haire, and so tye it up in a napkin for twelve houres time. Doe thus for six dayes together, putting on fresh every day for that time. This will keep the haire browne for one whole yeares time after it. The alhanna does prepare the hair and makes it of a darke red or tawny colour. Then they take “takout”, which is like a small gall, and boyle it in oyle till it hath drunk up all the oyle; then pulverize it, and mix it with water and putt it on the haire. Grind a very little of alkohol, which they use in glazeing of their earthen vessels, in a mortar with the takout, and this turnes the haire to a perfect black. This receipt I had from my worthy and obligeing friend Mr. Wyld Clarke, merchant, of London, who was factour many yeares at S{an}cta-Cruce, in Barberie, and brought over a quantity of these leaves for his own use and his friends. ’Tis pity it is not more known. ’Tis leaves of a tree like a berbery leafe. Mr. Clarke hath yet by him (1690) above half a peck of the alhanna. Dr. Edw. Brown, M.D. in his Travells, sc. description of Larissa and Thessalie, speakes of alhanna. Mr. Wyld Clarke assures me that juice of lemons mixt with alhanna strikes a deeper and more durable colour either in the hands or nailes. Tobacco.—We have it onely in gardens for medicine; but in the neighbouring county of Gloucester it is a great commodity. Mdm. “Tobacco was first brought into England by Ralph Lane in the eight and twentieth yeare of Queen Elizabeth’s raigne”.—Sir Richard Baker’s Chronicle. Rider’s Almanack (1682) sayes since tobacco was first brought into England by Sir Walter Raleigh, 99 yeares. Mr. Michael Weekes, of the custome house, assures me that the custom of tobacco is the greatest of all other, and amounts now (1688) to four hundred thousand pounds per annum. [Now (1847) about three millions and a half.—J. B.]