Salmon, 1710: Botanologia.

This is the raw OCR'd text for the first 300 pages of this book. Please help proofread this text!

It's difficult to proofread: all the in-the-middle "s" letters are the old-fashioned "f"-like letter. The OCR'd text reflects that. The archive.org OCR is utterly unreadable ... and I don't have the time to do this on my own. So I hope to enlist your help.

A comment on this work from Matthew Wood:

"This is the last of the great Renaissance woodcut herbals and a favorite with me. I actually bought a readable copy fifteen years ago, when there was no online library. Salmon writes from experience and, furthermore, I count him as the 'first Anglo-American' herbalist on record, since he spent some time in the 'West Indies,' i.e., South Carolina.

"When Salmon talks about snake bites he includes the rattlesnake. Those South Carolina snakes along the coastal forests are more deadly than any European snakes. He used scarlet pimpernel for rattlesnake bite, interestingly. Claims to have cured 200 plus cases of kidney stone with knotweed, and used arrowroot for wounds based on the doctrine of signatures."


A comment from Jonathan Barry, who is studying old herbals, particularly Salmon:

"Salmon went to South Carolina when he was 41-2 years old (in 1686), after 17 years practising as a physician in London and having just married a rich widow: he may have gone there partly because his new sister in law had just married an Irish merchant who was moving to South Carolina, and partly to escape the England of James II, as Salmon was a passionate Whig, nonconformist and anti-Catholic, and many of his fellow Whigs had gone into exile in this period.
"He returned to England in 1689 after the accession of his great hero William III.
"Judging by his references to where he saw plants in his Botanologia, he spent most of his time in the area immediately around Charles Town (as it was then called).
"Incidentally, one can easily be misled by his terminology for places - he uses the term 'West Indies' to mean the entire Caribbean/American mainland (north and south), and the term 'Florida' to refer to the north American continent (for example, he refers to the English settlements 'on the east coast of Florida' stretching from Nova Scotia in the north to South Carolina in the south), so he does not mean either term in our modern usage.
"The DNB (Dictionary of National Biography)/ODNB (Oxford DNB) are simply wrong to say he also visited New England - this is based on a rude poem about his supposed return to England with a pregnant woman 'from New England' at the end of a long satire about him, most of whose details cannot be corroborated elsewhere: he never refers to a single plant he has seen anywhere else in America other than in the Carolinas.
"This is probably the first 'Anglo-American' herbal, because Salmon makes it clear that he will only include plants which are grown either in England or in the English settlements in America, or ones which could be grown there, so I think he hoped for American sales, as well as to encourage national strength and wellbeing (against the rival Catholic powers)."


  • You'll find the full book at the Villanova University Digital Library: Vol. 1 - Vol. 2.
  • and at Botanicus (a scan from mobot) (beautiful scan): Vol. 1-2 in one. This is also found on archive.org.
  • It's on google books, but not available (at least not to me). Google botches the images anyway, so shrug.

You get to the larger images by clicking on (almost) any image.

Choose your project here; add your proofread text to the comments. Thanks!

Dedication. Done: Cyra / Anonymous.
Chap. 1. Preface or Introduction. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 2. Of the Greek Names of Plants. Done: Alan Steele.
Chap. 3. Of the First Qualities of Medicines. Done: Peppercat.
Chap. 4. Of the Second Qualities. Done: Peppercat.
Chap. 5. Of the Third Qualities. Done: Peppercat.
Chap. 6. Of the Fourth Qualities. Done: Peppercat.
Chap. 7. Of the Fifth Qualities. Done: Henriette / Chris Hedley.
Chap. 8. Of Preparations Galenick Internal. Done: Chris Hedley / Peppercat.
Chap. 9. Of Preparations Topical, or External. Done: Peppercat / Nick Jones.
Chap. 10. Of Preparations Chymical. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 11. Of the Virtues of Medicines. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 12. Of Doses, Uses and Application. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 13. Conclusion of the Introduction. Advertisement. Done: Nick Jones.

Botanologia: The History of Plants.
Liber Primus.
Of English Herbs and Plants.

Chap. 1. Of Adders-Tongue. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 2. Of Adonis-Flower. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 3. Of Agrimony Common and Bastard. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 4. Of Water Agrimony the Male Kind. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 5. Of Water Agrimony the Female Kind. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 6. Of Alehoof, Great, Small, &c. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 7. Of Alexanders. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 8. Of Alkanet. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 9. Of Clowns All-Heal. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 10. Of Common All-Heal. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 11. Of All-Heal of Aesculapius. Done: Lisa Haller / Peppercat.
Chap. 12. Of All-Seed. Done: Peppercat / Lisa Haller.
Chap. 13. Of Garden Anemonies. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 14. Of Wild Anemones. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 15. Of Garden Angelica. Done: Peppercat / Lisa Haller.
Chap. 16. Of Wild Angelica. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 17. Of Water Angelica. Done: Lisa Haller / Peppercat.
Chap. 18. Of Anise. Done: Peppercat.
Chap. 19. Of Love Apples. Done: Peppercat / Lisa Haller.
Chap. 20. Of Mad Apples. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 21. Of Thornie Apples. Done: Lisa Haller / Henriette Kress.
Chap. 22. Of Red Archangel. - Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 23. Of the White Archangel. Done: Nick Jones / Peppercat.
Chap. 24 Of Yellow Archangel. Done: Peppercat.
Chap. 25. Of Garden Arach. Done: Peppercat/Lisa Haller.
Chap. 26. Of the Common Greater Wild Arach. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 27. Of the Lesser Wild Arach. Done: Lisa Haller / Debs Cook.
Chap. 28. Of Stinking Arach. Done: Debs Cook.
Chap. 29. Of Sea Arach. Done Claudia Barton / peppercat.
Chap. 30. Of Arrow-Head. Done: peppercat.
Chap. 31. Of Mild or Spotted Arsmart. Done: peppercat / Lisa Haller.
Chap. 32. Of Hot or Biting Arsmart. Done: Lisa Haller / Therese Richardson.
Chap. 33. Of Garden Asarabacca. Done: Maggie Meister.
Chap. 34. Of Wild Asarabacca. Done: Maggie Meister.
Chap. 35. Of Common Asphodel. Done: Therese Richardson / Lisa Haller.
Chap. 36. Of Onion Asphodel. Done: Lisa Haller.
Chap. 37. Of Marsh or Wild Asphodel. Done: Lisa Haller/Nick Jones
Chap. 38. Of Garden Asparagus. Done: Nick Jones
Chap. 39. Of Sea or Marsh Asparagus. Done: Nick Jones
Chap. 40. Of Wild Asparagus. Done: Nick Jones
Chap. 41. Of Common Avens. Done: Nick Jones
Chap. 42. Of Wild or Mountain Avens. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 43. Of Common Barley. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 44. Of Wild Barley. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 45. Of Barren-Wort. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 46. Of Common Basil. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 47. Of Citron and Clove Basil. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 48. Of American Basil. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 49. Of Stone Basil. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 50. Of Wild Basil. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 51. Balsam-Apple Male. Done: Therese Richardson.
Chap. 52. Balsam-Apple Female and Yellow. Done: Claudia Barton.
Chap. 53. Bawm Garden and Bastard. Done: Therese Richardson.
Chap. 54. Bawm, Turkey and Syrian. Done: Therese Richardson.
Chap. 55. Beans Garden and Bastard. Done: Therese Richardson.
Chap. 56. Beans Kidney and Scarlet. Done: Therese Richardson.
Chap. 57. Beans Field or Horse. Done: Therese Richardson.
Chap. 58. Bear's Breech. Done: Helena P., Therese Richardson.
Chap. 59. Bear's Ears. Done: Helena P., Therese Richardson.
Chap. 60. Beets Common and White. Done: Ingeborg, Therese Richardson.
Chap. 61. Beets Red. Done: Therese Richardson.
Chap. 62. Beets Roman. Done: Therese Richardson.
Chap. 63. Bell-flower Small. Done: Therese Richardson.
Chap. 64. Bell-flower Great. Done: Therese Richardson.
Chap. 65. Betony Wood. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 66. Water Betony. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 67. Bifoil, or Twa-blade. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 68. Bindweed Common. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 69. The Lesser Blew Bindweed. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 70. Bindweed Black. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 71. Bindweed Sea. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 72. Birds-Eye. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 73. Birds-Nest. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 74. Bishops-Weed Common. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 75. Bishops-Weed Forein. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 76. Bistort English. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 77. Bitter-Sweet. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 78. Blew-Bottle. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 79. Blew-Bottle Double-flowred. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 80. Blites White. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 81. Blites Red. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 82. Blood-Wort. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 83. Borage. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 84. Broom Common. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 85. Broom Spanish. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 86. Broom Rape. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 87. Britanny. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 88. Brooklime. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 89. Bryonie White. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 90. Bryonie Black. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 91. Bucks-Horn. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 92. Bugle. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 93. Of Bugloss Garden. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 94. Of Bugloss Wild, or Ox-Tongue. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 95. Of Bugloss Vipers. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 96. Of Bugloss, Wall and Stone. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 97. Of Bugloss Marsh. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 98. Of Burdock Great. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 99. Of Burdock Small. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 100. Of Butter-Bur. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 101. Of Burnet. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 102. Of Butter-Wort. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 103. Cabbage. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 104. Calamint Common and Small. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 105. Calamint, Wild. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 106. Caltrops, Land. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 107. Caltrop, Water. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 108. Camomil. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 109. Of Cammock, or Restharrow. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 110. Campions, Garden. Done: Nick Jones.
Chap. 111. Of Campions Wild. Started: Nick Jones.
Chap. 112. Of Catch-flie. Done: Haley.
Chap. 113. Of Cats-tail. Done: Haley.
Chap. 114. Of Carrots, Garden. Done: Henriette.
Chap. 115. Of Carrots, Wild. Done: Jennifer Dyer.
Chap. 116. Of Carrots of Candy. Done: Jennifer Dyer.
Not done yet: Chap. 117. Of Caraway.
Not done yet: Chap. 118. Centory the Greater.
Not done yet: Chap. 119. Of Centory the Lesser.
Not done yet: Chap. 120. Of Celandine.
Not done yet: Chap. 121. Of Charlock.
Not done yet: Chap. 122. Of Cherry Winter.
Not done yet: Chap. 123. Of Chervil Garden.
Not done yet: Chap. 124. Of Chervil Wild.
Not done yet: Chap. 125. Of Chervil Tooth-pick.
Not done yet: Chap. 126. Of Chichlings Annual.
Not done yet: Chap. 127. Of Chickweed Common.
Not done yet: Chap. 128. Of Chickweed, Water.
Not done yet: Chap. 129. Of Chickweed, Bastard.
Not done yet: Chap. 130. Of Cinkfoil.
Not done yet: Chap. 131. Of Cistus Dwarf.
Not done yet: Chap. 132. Of Cistus Male.
Not done yet: Chap. 133. Of Cistus Female.
Not done yet: Chap. 134. Of Cives, or Chives.
Not done yet: Chap. 135. Of Claver-Grass.
Not done yet: Chap. 136. Of Clevers, or Goose-Grass.
Not done yet: Chap. 137. Of Clary, Garden.
Not done yet: Chap. 138. Of Clary, Wild.
Not done yet: Chap. 139. Of Clove-Gilliflowers.
Not done yet: Chap. 140. Of Cockle.
Not done yet: Chap. 141. Of Cocks-Head.
Not done yet: Chap. 142. Of Cocks-comb.
Not done yet: Chap. 143. Of Colewort Garden.
Not done yet: Chap. 144. Of Cole-flower.
Not done yet: Chap. 145. Of Colewort Wild.
Not done yet: Chap. 146. Of Colewort, Sea.
Not done yet: Chap. 147. Of Colts-foot.
Not done yet: Chap. 148. Of Columbine.
Not done yet: Chap. 149. Of Comfrey.
Not done yet: Chap. 150. Of Consound Saracens.
Not done yet: Chap. 151. Of Consound Daisie.
Not done yet: Chap. 151. Of Consound Daisie.
Not done yet: Chap. 152. Of Coralwort.
Not done yet: Chap. 153. Of Coriander.
Not done yet: Chap. 154. Of Corn-Flag
Not done yet: Chap. 155. Of Corn-Sallet, or Lambs-Lettice.
Not done yet: Chap. 156. Of Costmary.
Not done yet: Chap. 157. Of Cowslips.
Not done yet: Chap. 158. Of Cowslip Spotted.
Not done yet: Chap. 159. Of Cranes-bill Garden.
Not done yet: Chap. 160. Of Cranes-bill Musked.
Not done yet: Chap. 161. Of Cranes-bill Crowfoot.
Not done yet: Chap. 161. Of Cranes-bill Crowfoot.
Not done yet: Chap. 162. Of Cranes-bill Field.
Not done yet: Chap. 162. Of Cranes-bill Field.
Not done yet: Chap. 163. Of Cress Garden.
Not done yet: Chap. 164. Of Cress Indian.
Not done yet: Chap. 165. Of Cress Meadow, or Cuckow-Flower, single.
Not done yet: Chap. 166. Of Cress Meadow, or Cuckow-Flower, double.
Not done yet: Chap. 167. Of Cress Wild.
Not done yet: Chap. 168. Of Cress Sciatica.
Not done yet: Chap. 169. Of Cress Winter.
Not done yet: Chap. 170. Of Cress Water.
Not done yet: Chap. 171. Of Cross-Wort.
Not done yet: Chap. 171. Of Cross-Wort.
Not done yet: Chap. 172. Of Crowfoot Meadow.
Not done yet: Chap. 173. Of Crowfoot Field.
Not done yet: Chap. 174. Of Crowfoot Wood.
Not done yet: Chap. 175. Of Crowfoot Water.
Not done yet: Chap. 176. Of Crowfoot Garden.
Not done yet: Chap. 177. Of Crown Imperial.
Not done yet: Chap. 178. Of Cucumber Garden
Not done yet: Chap. 179. Of Cucumber Wild.
Not done yet: Chap. 180. Of Cudweed Common, or, Cottonweed.
Not done yet: Chap. 181. Of Cudweed Wicked.
Not done yet: Chap. 182. Of Cudweed Sea.
Not done yet: Chap. 183. Of Cudweed American.
Not done yet: Chap. 184. Of Cullions Sweet, or Lady-Traces.
Not done yet: Chap. 185. Of Cumin Garden.
...
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added more proofread text 12Dec2022 - added more OCR'd text 21May2017. - Henriette.

Botanologia, or The English Herbal, was written by William Salmon, M.D., in 1710.