330 HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBU RNENSIS. 



that I have made, the middle or end of April is the most certain ; 

 but when sown in the autumn, unless the soil be favourable, many 



island of Jura. Sheep and goats eat it ; horses and swine refuse it ; cows are not 

 fond of it. Withering; Pennant, p. 214. 



11. Cucubalus baccifer. Bladder Campion, Spattling Poppy, White Bottle. 

 E. Bot. 1577. — A perennial, more common in corn-fields than in pastures. It 

 grows from one to three feet in height, the flowers are white, and the calyx inflated, 

 veined like a net with green. Great care should be taken to prevent it from seed- 

 i ng, and the roots should be taken up. 



12. Euphrasia ojfichudis. Common Eyebright. E. Bot. t. 1416. — A small 

 annual plant with blue flowers. It resembles chickweed in its manner of growth, 

 and is nearly as difficult to extirpate as that weed ; like the ploughman's spike- 

 nard, it indicates sterility of land, similar to that caused by injudicious cropping, 

 and is only to be overcome by enriching the soil under a judicious course of crops 

 cultivated in rows, by which this, and all other weeds, are easily overcome. It 

 flowers from July till October. 



13. Geranium. Of this there are several species, common to sandy pastures. 

 They are diminutive weeds, and little evil results from their presence ; they gene- 

 rally disappear after the soil has been in tillage two or three years under good 

 management ; and the soil enriched, by having its texture altered, from the addition 

 of clay or marl. 



14. Hi/pochesris radicata. Long-rooted Hawk-weed. E. Bot. 831. — A peren- 

 nial, with yellow flowers; grows from four inches to two feet in height, according 

 to the quality of the soil. Tlie roots are long, and often the thickness of the little 

 finger. It was offered to sheep and cows, but they refused it. It flowers from 

 June till August. 



15. Jusione montuiuu Hairy Sheep's Scabious, Scabious Sheep's-bit. E. Bot. 

 882. — An annual plant, with blue flowers and hairy leaves. It is to be found 

 chiefly in very dry soils. It contains a milky juice ; is said to be eaten by sheep ; 

 but they refused it in one trial that I made. It flowers from June till August. 



16. Veronica officinalis. Common or Male Speedwell or Fluellin. E. Bot. 

 765. — A perennial plant ; flowers in May and August. The flowers are of pur- 

 plish colour. It is said that horses, goats, and sheep eat it. An infusion of the 

 leaves is recommended by Hoffman as a substitute for tea ; but it is more astrin- 

 gent and less grateful. {Withering.) — It is never found in such abundance as to 

 render it a formidable weed. It soon disappears under a judicious system of 

 tillage. 



17. Thymus serpi/llum. Wild Thyme, Mother of Thyme. E. Bot. t. 1514. — A 

 perennial, common on all dry sandy soils, particularly on ant-hills. Tliere is some 

 difference of opinion with respect to cattle eating tliis plant, its dwarf growth ren- 

 dering the point difficult to ascertain. I offered different quantities of this plant to 

 South Down and Welsh sheep, but they uniformly rejected it. Dr. Withering 

 says that it yields an essential oil, which is very heating, and that an infusion of the 

 leaves removes the head-ache occasioned by the debauch of the preceding evening. 

 The Phalana papilionaria lives upon it. — Paring and burning the ant-hills during 

 summer would occasion the destruction of the ants ; when this operation is done 



