USES OF WEEDS 197 



Persians and were used by ancient peoples to excite an appe- 

 tite, and in Poland and Russia they form an ingredie'nt in 

 soups and gruel. Poppy seed is given to singing birds as a 

 cooling food when they are moulting, and is then called " maw 

 seed". 1 



Plantago lanceolata (Ribwort plantain). This weed is said 

 to serve a useful purpose by preventing the soil from being 

 washed away on thin soil overlying rocky substrata, as in the 

 Welsh mountains, and it has been known thus to keep a large 

 area fertile which would otherwise have been barren. 1 It has 

 also been sown on sandy land as food for sheep. 2 



Plantago major (Greater plantain). According to Pliny 

 this plantain is very astringent and was used instead of a 

 cautery or searing iron, but it is rather doubtful if he really 

 meant our modern species. In the old Leechdoms or medical 

 works many medicinal properties were attributed to plantain, 

 some of which seem more fanciful than real. The leaves of 

 this species and of Plantago media (hoary plantain) are often 

 applied to wounds by poor people. The seeds are very muci- 

 laginous and useful in pulmonary diseases, and are also much 

 in demand among bird fanciers as food for canaries. 2 The 

 mucilage of some species of plantain is used by manufacturers 

 for stiffening muslins. 



Polygonum aviculare (Knotgrass). The fruit is emetic and 

 purgative, 3 and the whole plant is greedily eaten by pigs, so 

 that in some countries it is called hog- weed. Gerarde states 

 that it used to be given to pigs when they were sick and would 

 not eat their food. In Alsace knotgrass has been largely used 

 for making into hay, 1 and it is said to be very useful in rear- 

 ing silkworms. 4 Thunberg says that in Japan a blue dye re- 

 sembling indigo is prepared from this plant. 



Polygonum convolvulus (Black bindweed). Some writers 

 claim that the seeds are quite as good as those of buckwheat 

 and that they are produced in greater abundance. The juice 

 expressed from the bruised leaves is very purgative. 1 



Potentilta anserina (Silverweed). The silvery foilage is 

 greatly relished by geese. The roots are eagerly eaten by pigs 

 and much appreciated by children, who roast them over the 

 fire. In the Hebrides the roots are an article of diet, either 

 raw or boiled. They contain a good deal of nutriment and in 

 times of scarcity the people of the islands of Tiree and Coll 



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



3 Lindley and Moore, loc. cit. 4 Pratt, loc. cit. 



