1 88 WEEDS OF FARM LAND 



later on in the chapter. Before the increase in the importation 

 of cheap vegetable dyes from foreign countries, and before the 

 great advances made in connection with chemical dyes, 

 wild plants played an important part in the provision of these 

 essential articles of commerce. Among the weeds, ladies' 

 bedstraw (Galium verum), sorrel (Rumex acetosa], agrimony 

 (Agrimonia eupatorid}, nettle (Urtica dioica), woodwax (Genista 

 tinctoria), willowweed (Polygonum persecaria) were all used for 

 dyes, and wild mignonette or dyer's rocket (Reseda luteold), 

 besides providing a beautiful yellow dye, was used for making 

 the paint called " Dutch pink". 1 In the time of Pliny wild 

 orache was even used to colour the hair black. 2 



Some of the uses to which the weeds are put are very 

 singular and interesting. The stalks of white deadnettle 

 are made into whistles by country boys, and in the time of 

 James I ladies used carrot leaves instead of feathers. The 

 seed of wild oat is provided with twisted awns which uncoil 

 when in contact with water, so it has been used as a hygro- 

 meter, and also, as the hairs and bent- awn cause the seed to 

 resemble closely a fly, it is used by rustic fishermen for catch- 

 ing trout. 1 



Many of the commonest farm weeds have a varied history 

 of usefulness in old and modern times, and therefore they are 

 treated individually in the following paragraphs. 



Achillea millefolium (Yarrow). This plant is highly 

 astringent and was anciently much prized as a vulnerary. 

 According to the old leechdoms it was widely used for curing 

 wounds, and the story runs that it received its name because 

 Achilles found it and used it to cure those who had been 

 wounded with iron. 3 As late as 1863 it was used among the 

 Scottish Highlanders to make an ointment for drying and heal- 

 ing wounds, and it is possible that this is still done. 4 It is a 

 useful astringent in cases of haemorrhage, and yet, curiously 

 enough, it is called " nosebleed " because the leaves are 

 supposed to cause bleeding if put into the nose. 3 In some 

 parts of Sweden and Africa, yarrow has been employed in 

 the making of beer in order to render it more intoxicating. 5 

 Some agriculturists regard it simply as an agreeable condiment 

 for cattle, while others consider it to be a most valuable 

 ingredient in good nutritious herbage. 



1 Lindley, J., and Moore, T. (1889), " Treasury of Botany". 



2 Pliny, loc. cit. 3 Leechdoms, loc. cit. (Includes Ampuleius.) 



4 Hogg, R., and Johnson, G. W., loc. cit. 



5 Woodville, W. (1790-1792), " Medical Botany ". 



