USES OF WEEDS 193 



roasted, or boiled, and Wilson thought it a great pity that 

 earthnuts were not cultivated as an article of dessert 1 In 

 some parts of England they are sliced and put into soups, and 

 in Sweden they are extensively used and form a regular market 

 article. Pigs, with their keen sense of smell, are able to de- 

 tect the pignuts 2 underground as they do truffles. During 

 the war the use of this plant was advocated as a vegetable. 3 



Convolvulus arvensis (Bindweed). Is greatly enjoyed by 

 rabbits in captivity. Analytical and feeding experiments in 

 Germany (1914) have shown that the green stems and leaves 

 have a high nutritive value as green fodder, and that they are 

 also useful in manure. 4 



Equisetum arvense (Horsetail). Is disliked in pastures, for 

 although it is eaten by horses it is injurious to sheep, and 

 causes violent scouring in cattle when forced to eat it by 

 hunger. 1 It has a considerable economic value as it abounds 

 in particles of mineral matter, rendering this and other species 

 particularly suitable for polishing hardwoods, ivory, brass, etc. 

 An allied species, E. hyemale, used to be imported from 

 Holland under the name of " Dutch rushes " and was used by 

 Northumberland dairymaids for cleaning milk pails. 5 



Fumaria officinalis (Fumitory). Is readily eaten by cows 

 and sheep, but horses will not touch it and goats dislike it 

 when it is full grown. 1 The whole plant has a considerable 

 medicinal reputation as a blood purifier and cosmetic, the 

 leaves being the most effective part. The Japanese recognise 

 the medicinal value of the plant. In Picardy the plant is 

 used to curdle milk. 2 



Galium aparine (Goosegrass). In the time of Dioscorides 

 goosegrass was made into filters for straining milk, and, 

 Linnaeus mentioned that in his day the stalks were applied to 

 the same purpose. Even in our country places it is occasion- 

 ally used in this way when a sieve is not at hand. 6 In Sweden 

 the horny fruits are dried and slightly roasted as a substitute 

 for coffee, 7 and they have also been thoroughly ground for 

 cattle food. 8 Occasionally, too, the dried plant is infused in 



1 Wilson, loc. cit. 2 Hogg and Johnson, loc. cit. 



3 Crichton Browne, J. (1917), "A Neglected Source of Food Supply," 

 Selborne Magazine, Vol. XXVIII, pp. 85-87. 



4 Kling, loc. cit. 5 Knapp, loc. cit. 



6 Pratt, loc. cit. 7 Johnson, C. P., loc. cit. 



8 Bernatsky, J. (1915). See " Internal. Review Science and Practice of 

 Agriculture" (1916), VII, pp. 245-246. 



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