SCRAP 



SEDGE. 



SCRAPER. See MOULUBART. 



SCUFFLER, An implement of somewhat 

 the same kind as the scarifier, but which is 

 mostly lighter and employed in working after 

 it. See HAIIROW. 



SCULL-CAP (S.~ntellaria). There are seve- I 

 ral species of this plant found in the United 

 States. The common hairy scull-cap (S. pilosa) 

 has a perennial root, and stem 12 or 18 inches 

 hih, more or less hairy, and often purplish. 

 The flower is a purple-blue colour, and opens | 

 from June to August. There are several va- 

 rieties of this species. The large-flowered or 

 entire-leaved scull-cap (S. integrifolid) is dis- 

 tinguished for its handsome, large, bluish 

 flowers, which bloom in June. It is intensely 

 bitter to the taste. The lateral-flowered scull- 

 cap (S. /.<//cn/b//V/), has acquired the name of 

 mad-dog scull-cap, from its having acquired 

 much notoriety some years ago as a supposed 

 remedy for hydrophobia. "Like its numerous 

 -sors of the same pretensions," says 

 Dr. Darlington, " it had its day of importance 

 among the credulous, and then sank into the 

 oblivion which necessarily awaits all such 

 si>c<-ifirs" Several other species of scull-cap 

 are enumerated in the United States. 



SCURVY-GRASS (Cochl.-nriti'). A genus of 

 plants of little interest, with the exception of 

 horse-radish (C. artnornren), and the common 

 scurvy-grass (C. offirinalts). Besides these 

 there are three other indigenous species: the 

 Greenland scurvy-grass, the English scurvy- 

 ind the Danish scurvy-grass. They are 

 either annual or biennial herbs, and were once 

 celebrated as antiscorbutics, but have lost their 

 reputation. The plants are mostly smooth and 

 rather succulent, with branched, spreading 

 stems, and simple leaves, the radical ones 

 stalked and most entire. Flowers white, or 

 pale-purplish. 



The common scurvy-grass is cultivated in 

 gardens for its leaves. It flourishes best in a 

 sandy, moist soil, but will succeed in almost 

 any other, especially if abounding in moisture. 

 The situation must always be as open as pos- 

 sible. It is propagated by seed, which should 

 be sown as soon as it is ripe in July or June, 

 for if kept from the ground until the spring, 

 they will entirely lose their vegetative power, 

 or produce plants weak and unproductive. The 

 sou ins: is performed in drills 8 inches apart, 

 and half an inch deep. 



SCYTHE. This implement for mowing 

 grass has been latterly much used for cutting 

 grain crops, and with great success, when it 

 has been properly mounted with a rake or 

 cradle, and put into expert hands. 



Drummond's iron-handled scythe is consi- 

 dered in Scotland very effective. A good 

 mower will cut down with it from an acre and 

 a half to two acres in the day, and with this 

 scythe he can either cut out from the standing 

 corn when upright, or cut in, as he may deem 

 the better way at all times. 



The common grass-scythe will cut oats and 

 barley also very well when upright, but the 

 mower will perceive his inability to lay down 

 evenly and at right angles with the standing 

 corn, for the convenience of the binders, a 



heavy crop of wheat with this scythe, even h 

 furnished with a bow. 



The Hainault or Flemish scythe, the favour- 

 ite Belgian implement for severing corn, ap- 

 pears to be a very efficient instrument, but 

 although all the trials made with it in Scotland 

 and England report favourably of it, it has not 

 come into use even partially; prejudice and 

 the results of habit and custom rendering the 

 old sickles, scythes, and reaping-hooks more 

 popular. See HAT-MAKING, REAPING-HOOK, 



SlCKlE, &C. 



SCYTHE AND CRADLE. The well-known 

 American implement called the snjthe and cra- 

 dle used in the United States for harvesting 

 wheat and all other kinds of small grain, is 

 much preferable to the Hainault scythe. The 

 cradle is made with 5 long teeth extending the 

 full length of the scythe, and bent to the same 

 shape. These teeth are generally made of the 

 strong and pliant ash, shaved down so as to be 

 as light as is consistent with the necessary 

 strength. The handle is bent in such a 

 manner as contributes greatly to the conve- 

 nience of using the implement. It is slowly 

 becoming introduced into England. 



SEA-BUCKTHORN. See SALLOW-THORN. 



SEA-HOLLY. See EHYNGO. 



SEA-KALE. See KALE. 



SEA-LAVENDER. See THHIFT. 



SEA-MUD or OUSE. This rich saline de- 

 position from salt-marshes and the sea-shores 

 is found to possess very enriching properties, 

 and to be a useful addition to the soil where it 

 can be obtained in any quantity. See ALLTJ- 

 \ ii M, MARSH-MUD, and WARPING. 



SEAM. A provincial term applied to any 

 fatty substance, as tallow, grease, or lard. A 

 seam of corn is also a quarter or 8 bushels, and 

 a seam of wood a horse-load, or about 3 cwt. 



SEA- MILK WORT (Glaux, from glaukos, 

 gray, in allusion to the colour of the leaves). 

 The common sea-milk wort, or black salt-wort 

 (G. wariVima), is in England a pretty little in- 

 digenous perennial plant, growing abundantly 

 in muddy salt-marshes. 



SEA-SHELL. All marine shells, where they 

 can be obtained in sufficient quantity, form a 

 durable and lasting addition to the soil. See 



OrSTER-SHELLS. 



SEA-WARE. A term frequently applied to 

 the weeds thrown up by the sea in many situa- 

 tions, and which is collected and made use of 

 as manure and for other purposes. It con- 

 sists principally of the Quercus marina, and va- 

 rious species of Fuci, and has often the names 

 of sea-wrack, ore-weed, sea-tangle, &c. Sec 

 KELP. 



SECHIUM (Sechium edulis or Siegos edulis"). 

 A new vegetable from South America; in size 

 and form resembling a very large bell-pear; 

 the skin smooth, of a pale-green colour; the 

 flesh solid. For the table it is prepared in a 

 manner similar to the squash, and is stated to 

 be of a more delicate flavour. It has but one 

 single flat seed, which is larger than a Lima 

 bean. A new vegetable, imported by Mr. Buist, 

 I of Philadelphia, and altogether unlike anything 

 j before known or cultivated here. 



SEDGE (Carex, from careo, to want, the upper 



983 



