1902-1903-] Teasels. 57 



people still believe that if three, five, or seven, always an odd 

 number, of these worms be sealed up in a quill and worn in 

 good faith, they will act as a charm against sickness. The 

 heads of the plant used to be made into hair and cloth brushes 

 by setting them in frames. 



The fuller's teasel (Bipsacus FuUonum) is by many botanists 

 supposed to be a mere variety of the preceding, from which it 

 differs only in the scales of the flower-heads being hooked in- 

 stead of straight, and the outer covering of bracts being shorter 

 and spreading. The flower-heads of this plant form an article 

 of considerable importance to the cloth manufacturer. They 

 are used for dressing certain kinds of woollen cloth. Prob- 

 ably the wild teasel with the straight prickles was at first 

 used, until this variety with the hooked spines was found to 

 answer the purpose better. It has been cultivated for this 

 use ever since the reign of Eichard I., and from the time 

 of Edward III. has been a regular article of commerce in 

 cloth-manufacturing districts. Its cultivation demands con- 

 stant attention and labour throughout the year. The heads 

 are cut from the plant with a knife peculiarly formed. The 

 heads are very carefully dried by fastening them to poles, 

 and great care is taken to prevent them getting damp after 

 being cut. The large heads which ripen first are called 

 " Kings " ; the next crop has smaller heads called " Princes," 

 and these are best adapted for the dressing of fine and delicate 

 cloths. Every piece of broadcloth requires from 1500 to 

 2000 teasel heads to bring out the proper nap, after which 

 they are useless. The price varies from £4 to £22 a pack, 

 which contains about 900 of the largest heads or 1600 of the 

 smallest. At first the heads were set in frames, so as to form 

 a comb or brush with which to raise the nap. But now they 

 are fixed in regular order upon cylinders, which rotate and 

 perform the operation more rapidly and perfectly. They are 

 made to revolve in a manner so that the hooks of the teasel 

 come in contact with the surface of the cloth, and thus 

 raise the nap, which is afterwards cut level. 



Without this plant the cloth manufactory could never have 

 made the progress it has, as the purpose for which the teasel 

 is employed has never been effected by the most carefully 

 contrived machinery. Wire machines are very generally used, 



