SORREL. 223 



rein deer, which they esteem an agreeable 

 and wholesome food. 



The Irish, who are particularly fond of 

 acids, eat the leaves of sorrel with their milk 

 and fish. Bryan says, the leaves of the wood- 

 sorrel afford one of the most grateful acids 

 of any in nature. The leaves of this plant, 

 boiled with milk, form a most agreeable whey, 

 which is accounted good for opening obstruc- 

 tions of the viscera. 



The Dutch are said to cultivate this plant 

 for its usefulness in the dyeing of woollen 

 cloths black. In many parts of Scotland it 

 is also used to give an excellent black colour 

 to their woollen stuffs, without the use of 

 copperas ; and cloths so dyed are found 

 more soft and silky than those dyed by the 

 aid of copperas. 



The following important observation was 

 made by the Earl of Dundonald, in his Trea- 

 tise on Agriculture connected with Chynris- 

 try:— " Soils not calcareous, containinffjnuch 

 inert vegetable matter or peat, have a ten- 

 dency to produce wild sorrel, a plant consi- 

 dered in general as an indication of the want 

 of fertility in the soil. This is certainly cor- 

 rect, if the fertility of the soil is only to be 

 estimated by the use or value at market of 



