DIPSACEX. 
materially different, and may be used in its stead, though its chaff 
is not quite so rigid. 
The soils on which the Teazle grows the strongest are deep 
loamy clays, not over rich. The situation should be rather ele- 
vated, airy, and exposed to the south. In the rotation, it may 
occupy the place of a green and corn-crop, as the first year the 
plants are treated like turnips, and the second the crop is 
ripened. The soil should be ploughed deep, and well commi- 
nuted by cross ploughings or stirrings with pronged implements. 
The sowing season is the beginning of April; the quantity of 
seed is from 1 to 2 pecks per acre, and in quality it should be 
fresh and plump. The mode of sowing is almost always broad- 
cast, but no crop is better adapted for being grown in drills, as 
the plants require hoeing and thinning. The drills may be either 
sown on ridgelets or a flat surface, in the manner of turnips, or 
by ribbing. The distance between the rows may be from 18 
inches to 2 feet. In Essex, carraway is commonly sown with 
the teazle crop, but this is reckoned a bad plan. 
The after culture of this crop consists the first year in hoeing 
and stirring the soil, and in thinning out the plants to the dis- 
tance of 1 foot every way, if sown broad-cast, or to the distance 
of 6 inches, if sown in rows. Vacancies may be filled up by 
transplanting ; and a separate plantation may be made with the 
thinnings, but these never attain the same vigour as seedlings. 
The culture the second year consists also of hoeing, stirring, and 
weeding, till the plants begin to root. When the teazle is grown 
broad-cast, the intervals between the plants are dug by means of 
spades which have long narrow blades, about the length of 16 or 17 
inches, and not more than about 4 inches in breadth. With these 
the land is usually worked over in the intervals of the plants, three 
or four times during the summer months} and in the course of the 
following winter, as about the latter end of February, the Jand 
between the plants is to be again worked over by the narrow 
spades, care being taken that none of the mould falls into the 
hearts of the plants; and again, about the middle of May, when 
they begin to spindle, another digging over is given, the earth 
being raised round the root-stems of the plants, in order to sup- 
port and prevent them from being blown down by the wind. 
Some cultivators perform more frequent diggings, that the 
ground may be rendered cleaner and more mellow ; consequently 
the growth of the plants will be more effectually promoted. 
he business in Essex has usually the name of spaddling, and is 
executed with great despatch by labourers that are accustomed 
to perform it. 
The taking of the Teazle crop, when no regard is had for 
seed, commences about the middle of July, when the blossoms 
begin to fall from the heads. It is the best method to have 
the heads cut as they become ripe; but the work is usually 
executed at three different times, at the distance of ten days 
or a fortnight from each other. It is performed by means of 
a knife, contrived for the purpose, and a string attached to the 
haft. This last is done in order that it may be hung over the 
hand. A pair of strong gloves are also necessary. Thus pre- 
pared, the labourer cuts off the ripe heads along the rows or 
lines, with about 9 inches of stem, and ties them up in handsfull, 
with the stem of one that is more perfectly ripened. And on 
the evening of the day on which they are eut, they should be put 
into a dry shed; and when the weather is fine, and the air clear, 
they should be taken out and exposed to the sun daily, till they 
become perfectly dry. Much care must, however, be taken that 
no rain falls upon them. In doing this, some make use of long 
small stakes or poles, on which these handsfull are hung during 
the time of their preparation. ; : 
As soon as they are completely dried, they should be laid up in 
a dry room, in a close manner, till they are become tough, and 
of a bright colour, and ready for use. They should then be 
II. Dirsacus. 683 
sorted or separated into three different kinds, by opening each 
of the small bundles. These are distinguished into kings, mid- 
dlings, and scrubs, according to their different qualities. They 
are afterwards, the author of “The Somerset Report” says, 
made into packs, which, of the first sort, contain 9000 heads, 
but of the second, 20,000; the third is a sort of very inferior 
value. By some, before forming them into packs, they are done 
up into what are termed staves, by means of split sticks, when 
they are ready for sale. 
The produce of Teazle varies from 10 to 15 packs per acre ; 
nine packs of kings, nineteen of middlings, and two of scrubs, 
are reckoned a large crop, with a great bulk of haulm. Often, 
however, the crop fails. 
The use of the heads of the Teazle has been already men- 
tioned. The haulm is of no use but for burning as manure. 
Parkinson observes, that this is a sort of crop that may be grown 
to advantage on many lands; in rotation, as a fallow to pre- 
pare for wheat; and by burning the straw and refuse stuff after 
the crop is reaped, it will be found not to impoverish, but rather 
to improve the land. In their young state, the teazle plants 
stand the winter without danger, and are a good crop for clearing 
land of all weeds, from their lateness in the process of hoeing, 
there being few weeds at so advanced a season; on all these 
accounts they become an advantageous crop for the farmer. 
To save seed, leave a few of the very best plants uncropped, 
and then, when the seed is ripe, cut off only the largest and 
terminating heads, from which the seed is easily separated by 
beating with flails, and cleaned by a winnowing machine or a 
sieve. 
The chief injuries to which the Teazle is liable are those 
effected by the fly and slug in its infant state. 
Fullers’ Teazle. Fl. July. Britain. Pl. 6 feet. 
5 D. stnva‘rus (Willd. mss. in Roem. et Schultes, syst. 3. p. 
519.) leaves pinnatifidly sinuated: segments laciniately toothed. 
g. H. Native of Persia, on the alps in the province of Ghi- 
lan. Coult. dips. no. 22. 
Sinuated-leaved Teazle. Pl. 3 to 4 feet. 
6 D. re‘rox (Lois. fl. gall. p. 719. t. 3.) stem and leaves 
echinated from prickles; leaves connate at the base: radical 
ones sinuated: middle ones pinnatifid: upper ones entire ; 
leaves of involucra spreading, a little longer than the heads, 
which are ovate ; pale subulate, straight, stiff; involucel drawn 
out beyond the furrows into a short membrane. $.H. Native 
of Corsica and Sardinia, on the edges of fields. Said to grow in 
plenty in Austria, Bohemia, and Moravia. Tratt. tab. t. 235. 
D.C. fi. fr. suppl. p. 486. Coult. dips. p. 23. Flowers white 
or pale red. The central head of flowers is usually cylindrical, 
and the lateral ones roundish. 
Fierce Teazle. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1818. PI. 3 to 4 ft. 
7 D. Gmexint (Bieb. fl. taur. 1. p. 92.) stem prickly; leaves 
sessile: lower ones undivided or cut: superior ones pinnate- 
parted, with oblong acute segments; leaves of involucra de- 
flexed, incurved, weak, shorter than the heads, which are ovate, or 
nearly globose; paleæ membranous, acuminately awned, straight ; 
involucel drawn out beyond the furrows into a membranous 
crown, @.H. Native of Tauria, at Kuma, about the ruins of 
Maschar, but rare, ex Steven; at the river Don, ex Golb.; and 
of Siberia, about the Irtish, ex Gmel. sib. 2. p. 209. ; and of the 
Kirghisean Steppe, between Bucktorminsk and Lake Noor Saisan, 
ex Led. fl. alt. 1. p. 127. Coult. dips. p. 23. D. laciniatus, 
Falck. top. beytr. 2. no. 140. Corollas blue. 
Gmelin’s Teazle. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1820. Pl. 3 feet. 
8 D. stricdsus (Willd. mss. ex Roem. et Schultes, syst. 3. p. 
520.) leaves toothed and entire, appendiculated: upper ones 
jagged at the base, ciliated; involucra twice the length of the 
palez ; pales setaceous, twice the length of the flowers. g. 
482 
