MAT-GRASS. 



MEAD. 



and lips, in consequence of which it is broken 

 into small pieces, mixed with the saliva, and 

 thus adapted for deglutition as well as more 

 easy digestion ; although it is, perhaps, not 

 more essential for the latter purpose than 

 water. Leuchs and Schwan, two German 

 physiologists, have, however, proved that saliva 

 has the properly of changing starch into sugar; 

 and it is a well-known fact that the process of 

 digestion in the stomach converts starch into 

 gum, and gradually into sugar. Mastication, 

 in the animal economy, is so essential to the 

 prosperity of the individual, that old horses, 

 fee., whose teeth are impaired, always require 

 to have their food broken, chopped, or crushed 

 for them. See RUMINATION. 



MAT-GRASS, or HEATH MAT-WEED 

 (Nardus stricta). An insignificant species of 

 grass growing on barren, sandy, moist heaths 

 and moors, in many parts of Britain. The 

 root consists of numerous very strong, downy 

 fibres. Stems and leaves furrowed, roughish 

 with minute bristles, rigid, four or five inches 

 high, remaining bleached through the win- 

 ter. Spikes solitary, purplish, bristle-shaped, 

 straight, of many slender flowers. Schrank 

 celebrates this deep-rooted grass as a safe sup- 

 port to the hands of the Alpine botanist, in 

 precipitous situations, though it renders his 

 path very slippery. The hard and wiry foliage 

 of the mat-grass is eaten by horses and goats, 

 but disliked by cattle and sheep. This species 

 is often a troublesome weed on arable lands 

 and pastures, where it affords but coarse food 

 to caitle. As it, however, forms large and thick 

 tufts, which resist the action of the scythe, it 

 may be usefully transplanted to loose, sandy 

 lands, where its spreading, horizontal roots will 

 tend to consolidate the soil, and increase the 

 stratum of vegetable mould, for the reception 

 of more useful plants. 



MATH. An old term for crop ; hence lat- 

 termaih is the last mown crop of grass. 



MATRIX. The womb, or place where any 

 thing is generated or formed. In mineralogy, 

 it implies the earth or stone in which the 

 mineral is imbedded. 



MATWEED, THE SEA. One of the names 

 of the sea-reed (Jlrundo arenaria). See REEI>. 



MAUDLIN-WORT. See OX-EYE DAIST. 



MAUL. A provincial word, variously ap- 

 plied to a beetle, a mallet, and the mallow, in 

 different localities. 



MAW-SKIN. A word used in some places 

 to signify the stomach of the calf prepared for 

 cheese-making. See RENNET. 



MAY-APPLE. An American plant, so called 

 from its flowers being very abundant in the 

 month of May. Its botanical name is Podophyl- 

 Inm pcltatnm, and it has also the common names 

 of Wild Mandrake, and Hog Apple; the last 

 name must be regarded as inappropriate, since 

 hogs seldom, if ever, eat them. The plant 

 grows very aoundantly in all moist and shaded 

 places in woods, almost from one end of the 

 Union to the other. It has usually a simple 

 stem, terminating in a single broad leaf, 4 to 6 

 inches in diameter, and deeply divided into 5 

 or 7 lubes. The root of the plant is biennial, 

 and is frequently used as a medicine, being 

 active both as an emetic and cathartic, when 

 796 



taken in powder, in small quantities. The 

 fruit consists of a single large, long, and flat- 

 tish apple, yellow when mature, and varying 

 in size from 1 to 3 or 4 inches long by 1 or 2 

 broad. The soft pulp contained within the 

 rind has a very peculiar musky taste, which is 

 relished by many persons. The fruit is by no 

 means unwholesome, and has been introduced 

 with the dessert, in which case the pulp may 

 be squeezed into a wine-glass, and, with the 

 addition of a little old Madeira and sugar, is 

 said to be equal to the luscious golden grana- 

 dilla of the tropics, a fruit which it greatly re- 

 sembles in appearance. (dm. Farm. vol. 14.) 



MAY-DAY. The first day of May. 



MAY TREE. See HAWTHORN. 



MAY-WEED, THE SCENTLESS. See 

 CORN FEVERFEW. 



MAY-WEED, THE STINKING, or MATH- 

 ER. Called in Pennsylvania, Stinking Chamo- 

 mile, Dog's Fennel, &c. (PI. 10, v.) It is fre- 

 quent in the farm-yards, lanes, &c., in the 

 Middle States, and is a disagreeable foreign 

 weed, now extensively naturalized. It is readi- 

 ly distinguished from the preceding by its fetid 

 odor, as well as by its botanical characters, 

 on which it has been generically separated from 

 Anthemis, by Cassini, Lessing, &c. There are 

 no native species in the United States. 



MEAD (Dutch, meede). An agreeable vinous 

 liquor made from honey. The use of this sub- 

 stance as one of the ingredients in drink is of 

 very ancient date. When fermented, honey- 

 water obtains the name of mead, which is, in 

 fact, honey-wine : indeed the Germans call it 

 by that name (Honig-wein). Mead is said to 

 have been the principal beverage of the Britons 

 before the use of malt liquor among them ; and 

 long after the introduction of the latter beve- 

 rage, mead was a favourite drink. Under the 

 name of metheglin, it was frequently alluded 

 to by old writers. Mead formed the ancient, 

 and for centuries the favourite beverage of the 

 northern nations. It is frequently mentioned 

 in Ossian. Dryden has a couplet : 



"T" allay the strength and hardness of the wine, 

 Let wiih old Bacchus new Metheglin join." 



Queen Elizabeth was so fond of mead, as to 

 have had it made every year for her. Her 

 receipt for it has been preserved, and is given 

 by Dr. Bevan, in his interesting little volume 

 on the Honey Bee : Take of sweet-briar leaves 

 and thyme each one bushel, rosemary half a 

 bushel, bay leaves one peck. Seethe these in- 

 gredients in a furnace full of water (containing 

 probably not less than 120 gallons): boil for 

 half an hour: pour the whole into a vat, and 

 when cooled to a proper temperature (about 

 75 Fahr.), strain. Add to every six gallons 

 of the strained liquor a gallon of fine honey, 

 and work the mixture together for half an 

 hour. Repeat the stirring occasionally for two 

 days ; then boil the liquor afresh, skim it till 

 it becomes clear, and return it to the vat to 

 cool: when reduced to a proper temperature, 

 pour it into a vessel from which fresh ale or 

 beer has just been emptied ; work it for three 

 days and turn. When fit to be stopped down, 

 tie up a bag of beaten cloves and mace (about 

 half an ounce of each), and suspend it in the 

 liquor from the bung-hole. When it has stood 



