THE COMMON NETTLE. 7 



last to stain the eggs which they present as offer- 

 ings at the Easter festival. 



Many animals will not eat this plant when in a 

 growing state ; but, when partially, or wholly 

 dried, it forms a most valuable fodder in the scarce 

 time of early spring. It is more especially adapted 

 for cows, as it increases the quantity, and improves 

 the quality of their milk ; and a pint of milk is, in 

 rustic districts, an equivalent for the permission to 

 cut nettles for each day's feed for a cow, in the 

 months of April and May. That is, those who have 

 cows give this quantity to their neighbours for per- 

 mission to cut the nettles in their hedge-rows, rick- 

 yards, &c. In Russia, Sweden, and Holland, it is 

 largely cultivated for this purpose, and is mown five 

 or six times in the year. In the north of England it 

 is boiled as food for pigs; and every thrifty farmer's 

 wife knows how eagerly, and with how good a 

 result, the chopped leaves are devoured by poultry. 

 Indeed, they are almost an essential article of diet 

 to young turkeys, although their sting is usually 

 fatal to the tender little creatures, who, if not regu- 

 larly supplied with them in their food, seem, as if 

 by an instinctive want, to wander off to the nettle- 

 beds, where they perish miserably. 



The great amount of heat evolved by the nettle 

 during the process of fermentation makes it one of 

 the best substances for the formation of " hot-beds/' 

 for which purpose it is much prized by market-gar- 

 deners. 



The English name of nettle is derived from the 

 Saxon, or Anglo-Saxon Noedl, or Needle, a needle ; 



