i 3 2 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



The juice of the tall buttercup {Ranunculus acris) is very acrid when fresh, and 

 is occasionally applied to cause local irritation in cases of rheumatism and other 

 ailments. If carelessly used it may cause ulcers, but the plant loses its virulence 

 on drying. Old writers say that beggars use this juice to raise ulcers on their 

 feet, which they then exhibit to excite compassion. 1 



Coltsfoot {Tussilago farfara) is an ancient remedy for chest and lung troubles, 

 as the leaves are demulcent, and give great relief when they are smoked. British 

 herb tobacco largely consisted of coltsfoot leaves, and was formerly much used 

 in pulmonary complaints. 2 



7. Dyes. — Several wild plants contain colouring matters that have been used 

 for dyes, but they are seldom so employed since chemical dyeing has come into 

 its own. A blue dye, woad, is obtained from Isatis tinctoria, and when this is 

 combined with the bright yellow dye from woodwax {Genista tinctoria) the 

 celebrated " Kendal Green " is the result." 3 Ladies' Bedstraw {Galium verum) has 

 been used by the Highlanders to dye red, the roots of the plant being boiled with 

 the yarn, the colour being fixed by the addition of alum. In some quarters this 

 dye is considered to be superior to madder, and at one time attempts were made 

 to cultivate it, but the yield per acre is too low to make it a paying proposition. 4 

 If the tops of the plants are boiled with alum a bright yellow dye is obtained. 

 Agrimony {Agrimonia eupatoria) yields a yellow dye which varies in shade 

 according to the season at which the plant is gathered, being bright nankeen 

 if gathered when the flowers are beginning to open, and a deeper colour if left 

 until September. 5 Yellow colouring matters have also been extracted from the 

 roots of nettles {Urtica dioica) and from dyer's rocket {Reseda luteold). A fine 

 red dye has been produced by boiling the dried roots of sorrel {Rumex acetosa), 

 and the outer parts of the root of corn gromwell {Lithospermum arvense) give 

 a red colour to oily substances, skin, paper, and linen, a substitute for rouge being 

 prepared from the plant in Sweden. 6 



8. Miscellaneous Uses. — Individual species of weeds and wild plants have many 

 specialised uses to which they are adapted by some peculiarity of habit or property. 

 Many of these uses are very local, but nevertheless the plants fill certain gaps 

 in the general economy of life. Some industries take advantage of wild products 

 and utilise waste* substances to great advantage. The small round fruits of fat- 

 hen {Chenopodium album) are pressed into moist hides in the preparation of 

 Shagreen leather, giving the characteristic pitted appearance. Tannin sub- 

 stitutes can be derived from agrimony {Agrimonia eupatoria), which has been 

 used in Germany, cinquefoil {Potentilla reptans), tormentil {Potentilla tormentilla) 

 (sometimes used in the Western Isles of Scotland and in the Orkneys 7 ), and 

 bracken {Pteris aquilina). The seeds of plantains {Plantago sp.) are coated 

 with a considerable quantity of mucilage which stiffens muslins well, as it gives 

 a substance that is not easily obtained with other preparations. 



Carragheen moss has recently been used in Germany for the impregnation 

 of balloon envelopes and aeroplane wings, carragheen, salt and magnesia powder 

 being boiled together and filtered, the filtrate being applied as the dressing. 



1 Woodville, W., Medical Botany, 1790-92. 

 - Woodville, W., ibid 



3 Lindley, ]., and Moore T., Treasury of Botany, 1889. 



4 Wilson, ibid. 



5 Hogg and Johnson, ibid. 



6 Wilson, ibid. Pratt, A., ibid. 



7 Hogg and Johnson, ibid. 



