THORN-APPLE. 285 



Constantinople, by Lord Edward Zoucli, who gave 

 it to Gerard, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. 

 Gerard observes that he made great use of the 

 plant in his profession as a surgeon, not only for 

 burns and scalds, but also for " virulent and 

 nialigne vlcer, apostemes, and such hke." This 

 author tells us that he dispersed the seeds of this 

 plant through this land. Thus we have a positive 

 proof of the time of its introduction, and that it is 

 not a native plant of this island, as it is frequently 

 set down in many catalogues of British plants. It 

 has, however, so far naturalized itself in our soil 

 that it is frequently found in waste places and on 

 dung heaps, and is often found a troublesome 

 intruder on the parterre, for the seeds being dug 

 into the earth, will remain for several years, and 

 vegetate when again turned up to the air. When 

 sown on a rich soil, the plants grow to a great size, 

 which renders them unsuitable for the flower bor- 

 ders, but amongst flowering shrubs it has a good 

 effect, both by its large fohage and its long tubular 

 flowers, which appear from July to September. 

 In the natural history of the Stramonium, this 

 singular provision of nature is observed, that at 

 night the leaves nearest the flowers rise up and 

 enclose them, so as to form a shelter from the 

 humidity of the air. 



The generic name of Datura, by which this 



