20 Dr. PulteneyV Obfervations, &c. 



The cows I faw were apparently not in a mean condition, and 

 gave a fiifficient quantity of good milk. I was told by the perfon 

 whofe cattle were feeding on it, that he kept five cows and one horfe 

 fo entirely by this plant, and what the heath afforded, that they 

 liad not confumed more than half a ton of hay throughout the 

 whole year ; none being ufed, except when the river is frozen over. 

 I examined the whole parcel, on which four cows were feeding, in 

 the beginning of March ; and found the whole confifted, exclufively, 

 of the Ranunciiltis fuviaiilis, without any mixture of the Potamo- 

 geton, Carex, Spargan'tum, or other aquatic plants. In Summer, 

 however, it can fcarcely be avoided but that there muft be a mix- 

 ture of fome of thcfe : but other plants are not chofen. 



This account was confirmed to me by different perfons ; by whom 

 I was further informed, that hogs are alio fed with the fame plant, 

 on which they improve fo well, that it is not neceffary to allow 

 them other fuftenance, till it is proper to put them up to fatten. 



This relation, while it fhews how carefully experiments fhould 

 be conduced before a decifive judgment on the powers of any re- 

 putedly poifonous vegetable can be formed, may induce fuch as 

 were unacquainted with this fa6l, to adopt the ufe of this plant in 

 hmilar fituations, fmce it is. one of the moft frequent in many rivers 

 of this kingdom. The application of it to thefe ufeful purpofes 

 Avill alfo anfwer a fccondary good, of tending to clear the flreams 

 of what is otherwife confidered as a noxious weed ; fmce, by its 

 abundance in Summer, it is frequently feen to choke up the rivers 

 more than any other plant, and, from flight falls of rain, con- 

 tributes much to the overflowing of meadows in hay-time. 



IV. Ob- 



