SNOW. 



SOOT. 



as a tonic. It is found in rich woodlands, in the 

 Middle States. The root is perennial. 



The tall snake-root, or black snake-root (Ac- 

 tea racernosa.) This plant has a perennial root, 

 large and branching. The stem grows 4 to 6 

 feet high, slender, smooth, leafy near the mid- 

 dle. It flowers in June. "The white racemes 

 of this plant," says Dr. Darlington, " when in 

 flower, are quite conspicuous in our woodlands. 

 The plant itself has a heavy disagreeable odour 

 when bruised. The root is somewhat mucila- 

 ginous and astringent ; and is a very popular 

 medicine both for man and beast. It is used 

 in infusion, or decoction, chiefly as a pectoral 

 remedy for human patients ; and many persons 

 consider it almost a panacea for a sick cow. 

 Its virtues, however, are probably much over- 

 rated. 



Black snake-root, Maryland sanicula (Sa- 

 nicida Marylandica, vel canadensis). This plant 

 has a perennial root, and is frequent in wood- 

 lands and thickets where it flowers in June and 

 July. The stem grows 2 feet high, branched 

 above, grooved and smooth. The flowers are 

 white and sometimes yellow. 



Button snake-root, or blue blazing star (Lia- 

 tris spicata). This plant has a perennial, tu- 

 berous root with many small fibres. The stem 

 grows 2 to 4 or 5 feet high, with numerous 

 leaves, disposed alternately. The purple flow- 

 ers appear in August. The root of this hand- 

 some plant is a popular medicine, being em- 

 ployed either as a tea or spirituous tincture 

 for the cure of chronic rheumatism, debility, &c. 



The Seneka snake-root or mountain flax, 

 has been mentioned under the head of MILK- 

 WORT. 



SNOW. This well-known precipitation 

 from the atmosphere serves to defend winter 

 grain-crops and all other vegetables from the 

 severity of frosts ; for, being a very bad con- 

 ductor of heat, it prevents the internal warmth 

 of the earth from being carried oft' through the 

 surface of the land, and consequently amelio- 

 rates the soil. The plants being thus sheltered, 

 shoot forth in the spring with renewed vigour ; 

 and, cherished by the genial rays of the sun, 

 vegetate with increased luxuriance. As am- 

 monia and other saline matters, possessing 

 fertilizing matters, have been detected in snow, 

 it not only cherishes vegetation by the protec- 

 tion it affords, but by the direct influence of the 

 lertilizers referred to. 



SNOW-BALL. See GCELDKR ROSE. 



SNOW-DROP TREE. See HALESIA. 



SOAPWORT (Sapenaria, from tapo, soap; 

 the bruised leaves are said to produce a lather, 

 like soap, when agitated in the water). This 

 genus contains some truly beautiful plants, 

 well deserving of a place in every garden. 

 One species, with some varieties, is indigenous 

 to England. The common soapwort (S. offici- 

 nofo), a perennial, grows in meadows, by 

 rivers, and under hedges. The root is branch 

 ing, rather fleshy, with many long, creeping 

 scions. Herbage smooth, or nearly so, a little 

 succulent. Stems about 18 inches high, erect 

 round, leafy. Leaves eliptic-lanceolate, acute. 

 Panicle dense, of many erect, large, handsome, 

 flesh-coloured, or pale-pink flowers, with an 

 oppressive sweetness. 



126 



This plant, which bears the common name 

 of bouncing-bet, has been introduced into the 

 United States, where it often proves somewhat 

 troublesome in gardens and meadows. When, 

 bruised, and agitated in water, it raises a lather 

 like soap ; and has been used as a substitute 

 for it. A decoction has been employed some- 

 times as a wash for the itch, and other cuta- 

 neous diseases. There are no native species ; 

 and this is the only one of the genus which 

 has become naturalized in the United States. 



SODA. See KELP ; SALTS, their uses to vege- 

 tation, fyc. 



SOD BURNING. See PARING and BURNING. 



SOFT-GRASS. See HOLCOS. 



SOIL. See EARTHS, ANALYSIS and MIXTURK 

 OF SOILS. 



SOILING. The practice of supporting ani- 

 mals in the summer season, with green food, 

 cut daily and given to them in the houses, 

 stalls, or yards. A number of different plants 

 and grasses may be had recourse to for this 

 purpose, particularly those which have a quick 

 and luxuriant growth; as lucern, sainfoin, 

 tares, clover, turnips, &c. 



Soiling appears to be highly advantageous, 

 in a variety of ways, by the food being con- 

 sumed with much less waste, by the great in- 

 crease of good manure that is produced, and 

 by the stock feeding with less interruption and 

 inconvenience, from their being more effectually 

 shaded from the excessive heat of the sun, and 

 better protected from the attacks of flies and 

 other insects. In all these respects it would 

 seem to have a gre*at superiority over that of 

 letting the animals range indiscriminately in 

 the pastures or other grass lands. 



Soiling has been found, by the most careful 

 experiments, to answer perfectly both with 

 horses, neat cattle, and swine ; and with cows 

 it has been found very beneficial in the trials 

 of Mr. Curwen and several others. 



By an extensive and judicious use of soiling, 

 the farmer may derive benefit in being enabled 

 to have a considerably larger extent of land 

 both under the states of tillage and grass, from 

 the considerable increase of manure that is 

 produced. 



SOLAR INFLUENCE. See TEMPEHATURK 

 and LIGHT. 



SOOT is very extensively employed in the 

 east of England, as a powerful manure, and 

 produces, when used at the rate of 12 or 20 

 bushels per acre, most luxuriant crops of 

 wheat and other grain. This valuable ferti- 

 lizer is composed of a mixture of charcoal, an 

 oil, salts of ammonia, some muriatic acid, lime, 

 magnesia, silica, and other foreign substances; 

 but the charcoal is by far the largest ingredient, 

 and has a powerful influence on vegetation ; 

 and, according to Liebig, it can " completely 

 replace vegetable mould or humus. Plants 

 thrive in powdered charcoal, and may be 

 brought to blossom and bear fruit if exposed 

 to the influence of rain and the atmosphere." 

 (Organ. Chem. p. 61.) All the substances con- 

 tained in soot are the natural food of vegetation; 

 the carbon gradually combines with the oxy- 

 gen of the atmosphere, and is converted into 

 carbonic acid gas, which is readily absorbed 

 by the roots and leaves of plants. 



4*2 1001 



