

DIPSACE^E. II. DIPSACUS. 



683 



materially different, and may be used in its stead, though its chaff 

 is not quite so rigid. 



The soils on which the Teazle grows the strongest are deep 

 loamy clays, not over rich. The situation should be rather ele- 

 vated, airy, and exposed to the south. In the rotation, it may 

 occupy the place of a green and corn-crop, as the first year the 

 plants are treated like turnips, and the second the crop is 

 ripened. The soil should be ploughed deep, and well commi- 

 nuted by cross ploughings or stirrings with pronged implements. 



The sowing season is the beginning of April ; the quantity of 

 seed is from 1 to 2 pecks per acre, and in quality it should be 

 fresh and plump. The mode of sowing is almost always broad- 

 cast, but no crop is better adapted for being grown in drills, as 

 the plants require hoeing and thinning. The drills may be either 

 sown on ridgelets or a flat surface, in the manner of turnips, or 

 by ribbing. The distance between the rows may be from 18 

 inches to 2 feet. In Essex, carraway is commonly sown with 

 the teazle crop, but this is reckoned a bad plan. 



The after culture of this crop consists the first year in hoeing 

 and stirring the soil, and in thinning out the plants to the dis- 

 tance of 1 foot every way, if sown broad-cast, or to the distance 

 of 6 inches, if sown in rows. Vacancies may be filled up by 

 transplanting ; and a separate plantation may be made with the 

 thinnings, but these never attain the same vigour as seedlings. 

 The culture the second year consists also of hoeing, stirring, and 

 weeding, till the plants begin to root. When the teazle is grown 

 broad-cast, the intervals between the plants are dug by means of 

 spades which have long narrow blades, about the length of 1 6 or 1 7 

 inches, and not more than about 4 inches in breadth. With these 

 the land is usually worked over in the intervals of the plants, three 

 or four times during the summer months ; and in the course of the 

 following winter, as about the latter end of February, the land 

 between the plants is to be again worked over by the narrow 

 spades, care being taken that none of the mould falls into the 

 hearts of the plants ; and again, about the middle of May, when 

 they begin to spindle, another digging over is given, the earth 

 being raised round the root-stems of the plants, in order to sup- 

 port and prevent them from being blown down by the wind. 

 Some cultivators perform more frequent diggings, that the 

 ground may be rendered cleaner and more mellow ; consequently 

 the growth of the plants will be more effectually promoted. 

 The business in Essex has usually the name of spaddling, and is 

 executed with great despatch by labourers that are accustomed 

 to perform it. 



The talcing of the Teazle crop, when no regard is had for 

 seed, commences about the middle of July, when the blossoms 

 begin to fall from the heads. It is the best method to have 

 the heads cut as they become ripe ; but the work is usually 

 executed at three different times, at the distance of ten days 

 or a fortnight from each other. It is performed by means of 

 a knife, contrived for the purpose, and a string attached to the 

 haft. This last is done in order that it may be hung over the 

 hand. A pair of strong gloves are also necessary. Thus pre- 

 pared, the labourer cuts off the ripe heads along the rows or 

 lines, with about 9 inches of stem, and ties them up in handsfull, 

 with the stem of one that is more perfectly ripened. And on 

 the evening of the day on which they are cut, they should be put 

 into a dry shed ; and when the weather is fine, and the air clear, 

 they should be taken out and exposed to the sun daily, till they 

 become perfectly dry. Much care must, however, be taken that 

 no rain falls upon them. In doing this, some make use of long 

 small stakes or poles, on which these handsfull are hung during 

 the time of their preparation. 



As soon as they are completely dried, they should be laid up in 

 a dry room, in a close manner, till they are become tough, and 

 of a bright colour, and ready for use. They should then be 



sorted or separated into three different kinds, by opening each 

 of the small bundles. These are distinguished into kings, mid- 

 dlings, and scrubs, according to their different qualities. They 

 are afterwards, the author of " The Somerset Report" says, 

 made into packs, which, of the first sort, contain 9000 heads, 

 but of the second, 20,000 ; the third is a sort of very inferior 

 value. By some, before forming them into packs, they are done 

 up into what are termed staves, by means of split sticks, when 

 they are ready for sale. 



The produce of Teazle varies from 10 to 1 5 packs per acre ; 

 nine packs of kings, nineteen of middlings, and two of scrubs, 

 are reckoned a large crop, with a great bulk of haulm. Often, 

 however, the crop fails. 



The use of the heads of the Teazle has been already men- 

 tioned. The haulm is of no use but for burning as manure. 

 Parkinson observes, that this is a sort of crop that may be groun 

 to advantage on many lands ; in rotation, as a fallow to pre- 

 pare for wheat ; and by burning the straw and refuse stuff after 

 the crop is reaped, it will be found not to impoverish, but rather 

 to improve the land. In their young state, the teazle plants 

 stand the winter without danger, and are a good crop for clearing 

 land of all weeds, from their lateness in the process of hoeing, 

 there being few weeds at so advanced a season ; on all these 

 accounts they become an advantageous crop for the farmer. 



To save seed, leave a few of the very best plants uncropped, 

 and then, when the seed is ripe, cut off only the largest and 

 terminating heads, from which the seed is easily separated by 

 beating with flails, and cleaned by a winnowing machine or a 

 sieve. 



The chief injuries to which the Teazle is liable are those 

 effected by the fly and slug in its infant state. 



Fullers' Teazle. Fl. July. Britain. PI. 6 feet. 



5 D. SINUA'TUS (VVilld. mss. in Roem. et Schultes, syst. 3. p. 

 519.) leaves pinnatifidly sinuated : segments laciniately toothed. 

 $. H. Native of Persia, on the alps in the province of Ghi- 



lan. Coult. dips. no. 22. 



Sinuated-leaved Teazle. PI. 3 to 4 feet. 



6 D. FE'ROX (Lois. fl. gall. p. 719. t. 3.) stem and leaves 

 echinated from prickles ; leaves connate at the base : radical 

 ones sinuated : middle ones pinnatifid : upper ones entire ; 

 leaves of involucra spreading, a little longer than the heads, 

 which are ovate ; paleae subulate, straight, stiff; involucel drawn 

 out bevond the furrows into a short membrane. $ . H. Native 

 of Corsica and Sardinia, on the edges of fields. Said to grow in 

 plenty in Austria, Bohemia, and Moravia. Tratt. tab. t. 235. 

 D. C. fl. fr. suppl. p. 486. Coult. dips. p. 23. Flowers white 

 or pale red. The central head of flowers is usually cylindrical, 

 and the lateral ones roundish. 



Fierce Teazle. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1818. PI. 3 to 4 ft. 



7 D. GMELINI (Bieb. fl. taur. 1. p. 92.) stem prickly; leaves 

 sessile : lower ones undivided or cut : superior ones pinnate- 

 parted, with oblong acute segments ; leaves of involucra de- 

 flexed, incurved, weak, shorter than the heads, which are ovate, or 

 nearly globose ; paleae membranous, acuminately awned, straight ; 

 involucel drawn out beyond the furrows into a membranous 

 crown. $ . H. Native of Tauria, at Kuma, about the ruins of 

 Maschar, but rare, ex Steven ; at the river Don, ex Golb. ; and 

 of Siberia, about the Irtish, ex Gmel. sib. 2. p. 209. ; and of the 

 Kirghisean Steppe, between Bucktorminsk and Lake Noor Saisan, 

 ex Led. fl. alt. 1. p. 127. Coult. dips. p. 23. D. laciniatus, 

 Falck. top. beytr. 2. no. 140. Corollas blue. 



Gmelin's Teazle. Fl. July, Aug. Clt. 1820. PI. 3 feet. 



8 D. STRIGOSUS (Willd. mss. ex Rcem. et Schultes, syst. 3. p. 

 520.) leaves toothed and entire, appendiculated : upper ones 

 jagged at the base, ciliated; involucra twice the length of the 

 paleae ; paleae setaceous, twice the length of the flowers. $ . 



4 s 2 



