It is, however, the curious out-of-the-way pieces of information on all sorts of matters which are so interesting in Parkinson's Herbal. He tells us that three several sorts of colours are made from the berries of the purging thorn; that the yellow dye is used by painters, "and also by Bookbinders to colour the edges of Bookes and by leather dressers to colour leather"; that the green dye is "usually put up into great bladders tyed with strong thred at the head and hung up untill it is drye, which is dissolved in water or wine, but sacke is the best to preserve the colour from 'starving,' as they call it, that is from decaying, and to make it hold fresh the longer"; and that the purple dye is made by leaving the berries on the bushes until the end of November, when they are ready to drop off. That the best mushrooms grow under oaks or fir trees. That spurry leaves bruised and laid to a cut finger will speedily heal it, "whereof the Country people in divers places say they have had good experience," and that it is also good for causing "the Kine to give more store of milke than ordinary otherwise, so it causeth Pullaine likewise to lay more store of egges." That the fruit of the bead tree "being drilled and drawne on stringes serves people beyond sea to number their prayers thereon least they forget themselves and give God too many." That in Warwickshire the female fern was always used "in steed of Sope to wash their clothes," and that it was gathered about Midsummer, "unto good big balls which when they will use them they burne them in the fire until it becomes blewish, which being then layd by will dissolve into powder of itselfe, like unto Lime: foure of these balles being dissolved in warme water is sufficient to wash a whole bucke full of clothes." That the burning of lupin seeds drives away gnats, and that half-sodden barley "given to Hennes that hardly or seldome lay egges will cause them to lay both greater and more often." That country housewives use that common weed horsetail to scour their wooden, pewter and brass vessels, and sometimes boil the young tops of the same weed and eat them like asparagus. That bramble leaves do not fall until all the sharp frosts are over, "whereby the country men do observe that the extremity of Winter is past when they fall off." That every year sacks full of violets are sent from Marseilles to Alexandria and other parts of Egypt, "where they use them boyled in water which only by their religion they are enjoined to drinke." That if you suspect your wine is watered "you shall put some thereof into a cup that is made of ivie wood and if there be any water therein it will remaine in the cup and the wine will soak through, for the nature of Ivie is not to hold any wine so great an antipathy there is between them." That skilful shepherds are careful not to let their flocks feed in pastures where mouseare abounds, "lest they grow sicke and leane and die quickly