Mastering Herbalism: A Practical Guide

372 Pages·2001·16.48 MB·English

by  Paul Huson

Praise for Mastering Herbalism
"Presents rational advice on growing herbs, levelheaded chapters on
herbs for longevity and herbs for love potions. One of the strongest
points is the consumer-oriented listing of where to buy or order herbs in
the U.S. and the United Kingdom. . . . Paul Huson is able to draw on the
best of all possible worlds, what the Druids and the ancient cults of the
Middle East knew and what the Anglo-Saxons called 'wortcunning,' or
herbal magic, plus the bare bones measurements of modem science." -
Boston Globe
"This 'must' book for witches includes a list of suppliers and a helpful
bibliography." -Detroit Free Press
"A provocative account that will drive you to experiment and explore.
Offers something to every reader." -Baton Rouge Advocate
"So with the aid of just one book, you can be healthy, quiet, or hilarious;
make fi-iends and influence people; grow your own perfumes; gain a
reputation as a garden planner; and smell clean, without TV commer-
cials." -Nashville Banner
"Tells you everything you always wanted to know regarding the secret
power of herbs." -El Paso Times
"The author traces herbs in history and lists easily available herbs,
which, he believes, can prolong life, cure diseases, improve cooking,
make perfumes and incense, and possibly even make the heart groh
fonder!" -Los Angeles Herald Examiner
"Extremely well organized with the essential information on using herbs
medicinally, to cook with, to make perfumes, lotions, etc." -Chatta-
nooga Times
MADISON BOOKS
Lanham New York Oxford
HERBAL
A PRACTICAL GUIDE
THE AGRICULTURAL YEAR
JANUARY: With this fyre I warm iny hand
FEBRUARWYi:t h this spade I digge my land
MARCH: Here 1 cut my Vine spring
APRILH: ere I hear the birds sing
MAY: I am as fresh as bird on bough
JUNE: Corn is weeded well enough
JULY: With this sithe my grasse I mowe
AUGUSTH: ere 1 cut my corne full lowe
SEPTEMBER: With this flaile I earne my bread
OCTOBER: Here I sowe my wheats so red
NOVEMBER:W ith this axe I kill my swine
DECEMBEARnd: here I brew both ale and wine.
-from Rum's Little Dodoen,
herbal of 1606
PAUL HUSON
Illustrated by the Author
This Madison Books paperback edition of Mastering Herbalism is an unabridged republication
of the edition first published in BriarcltffManor, New York in 1974, with the exception of a new
chapter nine (9Vbere to Buy Your Herbs'? to replace the original one. It is reprinted by
arrangement with the author.
Copyright O 1974, 2001 by Paul Huson
First Madison Books edition 2001
Designed by David Miller
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means,
including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the
publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote passages in a review.
Published by Madison Books
4720 Boston Way
Lanham, Maryland 20706
12 Hid's Copse Road
Cumnor Hill, Oxford OX2 911, England
Distributed by National Book Network
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-PublicationD ata
Huson, Paul.
Mastering herbalism :a practical guide /Paul Huson.- 1st Madison Books ed.
p. cm.
Originally published: New York : Stein and Day, 1974.
"This Madison Books paperback edition ofMastering herbalism is an unabridged republication
of the edition first published. . . in 1974, with the exception of an updated chapter nine j"Where
to buy your herbsJJ."
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISB \': 978-1-56833-181-2
1. Herbs. 2. Herbs- Folklore. 3. Cookely (Herbs) I. Title.
eml%e paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of
American National Standard for Information Sciences- Pwrnanence of
Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NSO 239.48-1992.
Manufactured in the United States ofAmerica.

FORE WORD
IF YOU ARE IN THE HABIT of browsing through plant stores, as I am,
you may on occasion find yourself confronted by an intriguing array
of pots containing mysterious little herbs. The name tags they
display, if there are any, are usually bluntly noncommittal and
uncom~nunicative". Wormwood-medicinal" is a typical one. Your
interest may flare for an instant, but then die just as swiftly. How on
earth would you use it anyway, just supposing it did actually grow in
your planter or backyard?
What is the "herb mystique"? Just what can you do with those
enigmatic little plants? Well, you can eat them and brew them into
health-giving teas, or bathe in them and smoke them, or pound
them up and plaster them all over your face and body; or you can
grow them and dry them and perfume yourself and your friends
with them; or you can wash your hair in them. More than that, you
can follow age-old traditions and if you are talented in that direc-
tion, even cast spells with them. And last, but by no means least,
you can live to a ripe old age by means of them.
And that, in a nutshell, is what this book is all about. My aim
throughout is practicality. It is all very well to read an old herbal
which says (if indeed it says anything about dosages), "Take ten
minims of this and one fluid drachm of that," but where does that
leave you with your pot of basil in the kitchen window? Basically all
you will need for my kind of herbalism will be a couple of covered
enamel or Pyrex pans, a cup, a small pestle and mortar (obtainable
from any kitchen-supply store), a wineglass, a tablespoon, a tea-
spoon, and, if you're feeling adventurous, a teapot-regular kitchen
7
8 / Foreword
equipment, in fact. Plus, of course, your usual gardening tools if you
feel like growing your own. If you don't, never mind. Herbs are
among the easiest things to get by mail. They qualify for third-class
mailing privileges, and there are any number of excellent mail-order
companies you can get them from. Cliapter 9 lists a fairly extensive
selection of these.
CONTENTS
Foreword
Introduction: HERBS IN HISTORY
1 HERBS TO STAY HEALTHY WITH
2 HERBS TO COOK WITH
3
HERBAL PERFUMES AND INCENSES
4
HERBAL BEAUTY SECRETS
5
LOVING HERBS AND APHRODISIACS
6
WITCHCRAFT AND WORTCUNNING
7
HERBAL IMMORTALITY: ELIXIRS OF LIFE
8 GROWING YOUR OWN
9 WHERE TO BUY YOUR HERBS
Appendices:
1 Planting and Harvesting by the Moon
2 Weights and Measures
3 Herbs as Nutritional Sources
4 A Christianized Conjuration of
the Herb Valerian
Glossary
Select Bibliography
Index