124 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



for the preservation of that species of game. With 

 this object, the grain is sometimes sown in these 

 preserves, and left standing to afford both cover and 

 food to the birds ; at other times, the straw is taken 

 unthreshed, and left in heaps at intervals throughout 

 the places where the birds resort. Such an abun- 

 dance of their favourite food will not only prevent 

 pheasants from rambling, but frequently allures others 

 from spots where an equally comfortable provision is 

 not made. 



Horses are fond of the seeds, which are some- 

 times given to them in conjunction with oats ; it is 

 proper, however, in such case, to subject the buck- 

 wheat to the previous operation of crushing. Pigs 

 are often fattened upon buck- wheat, and it is said that 

 if this food be given to them in great quantity at first, 

 it will occasion the animals to exhibit symptoms of 

 intoxication, so that they run squeaking and tumbling 

 about in a grotesque manner. As they become 

 habituated to the use of the grain, such an effect 

 ceases. It is necessary to crush the seeds for this 

 purpose also. 



Buck-wheat is sometimes used by distillers, it being 

 capable of yielding a considerable quantity of good 

 spirit. This use is made of it to a great extent at 

 Dantzig, where an extensive 'manufacture of cordial 

 waters is continually carried on. 



The poor of some countries mix the meal of buck- 

 wheat with a small proportion of wheat-flour, and 

 make a kind of bread of the compound, which is 

 black and bitter, and deficient in a due degree of 

 nourishment. In Brabant it is not unusual for per- 

 sons who derive a profit'from keeping bees to sow 

 this grain near to their dwellings, they being of 

 opinion that no plant is equal to it for affording to 

 those insects a proper supply of materials whence their 

 sweet store is elaborated. 



