TENDRILS. 



hold). In law, one who holds or possesses 

 lands or tenements by any kind of right, either 

 in fee for life, for years, or at will. See LEASE. 



T i:\DRILS. The curling, twining organs 

 of prehension, by which some plants lay hold 

 of others. 



\ -O'CLOCK. A troublesome perennial 

 plant and weed, with a bulbous, fibrous root, 

 JifticuU to destroy, as it will grow even years 

 after the tops are cut off. Fields must not be 

 ploughed. This foreigner has escaped from 

 ihe gardens, and has become a grievous nui- 

 sance on many farms. Although it rarely per- 

 fruit, the bulbs are propagated laterally 

 real rapidity ; and are extremely difficult 

 to extirpate. One native species has been 

 found in the United States, on the Rocky 

 Mountains. (Flora Ccs/nV<;.) 



I i.THERING. The practice of confining 

 o precise limits or pasturage any kind of 

 ilock, by means of light chains or ropes fas- 

 tened to iron pins (with swivel rings) driven 

 into the ground. For the small farmer with 

 indifferent fences, or for gentlemen with limited 

 and ornamental lawns, this practice, which 

 secures shrubs and pleasure-grounds from 

 injury, is obviously often an advantageous 

 system ; and indeed a rich lawn immediately 

 in view of a house is the fittest situation for 

 tethering, as an impoverished field would dis- 

 appoint, and demand a too frequent and there- 

 fore troublesome change of tether. The prac- 

 tice is almost universal throughout France, 

 even in common farms. 



1 HATCH. Straw, or any other dry vege- 

 table substance, laid on the top of a building, 

 rick, &C M to keep out the wet. 



There are many different sorts of materials 

 that may be made use of as thatch, but the 

 straw of wheat and rye, when well laid, forms 

 the neatest and most secure covering for gene- 

 ral purposes. 



The reed is a highly valuable article for the 

 purpose of thatch, where a lasting roof is re- 

 quired; but is much too expensive at first, 

 although it is cheapest in the end. Reed is 

 also thought to be too stubborn for common 

 purposes. Fern is also occasionally used. 

 See FSB*. 



THERMOMETER (Gr.). An instrument for 



measuring variations of heat or temperature, 



too well known to need description. See AT- 



MosrHKRK, CLIMATE, MKTEOUOLOGI, &c. See 



Table in next column. 



THISTLE. A well-known prickly weed, 

 common in corn-fields and pastures. Where- 

 e\er thistles grow naturally it is a sure sign 

 that the land is strong, and of a tolerably good 

 quality ; but they are at the same time a great 

 mce to every plant intended to be cul- 

 tivated. 



By an excellent regulation in France, a 

 farmer may sue his neighbour who neglects to 

 thistle his land at the proper seasons, or may 

 employ people to do it at the other's expense : 

 and it were to be wished that a similar law was 

 in force here, to prevent the wide-spreading 

 mischief occasioned by the seeding of this 

 pernicious weed ; among which may be reck- 

 oned, besides its choking the young corn, that 

 f wheat in particular be not well thistled, the 

 1036 



THISTLE. 



Table exhibiting the degrees of the Centigrade ant 

 Fahrenheit's Thermometers corresponding to thost 

 of Reaumur 's Thermometer. 



reapers take up the grip so tenderly, lest they 

 should prick themselves, that, by their loose 

 handling of them, they sometimes leave upon 

 the ground corn enough to sow the whole field. 

 There are no plants over which the economical 

 farmer ought to k^p a more watchful eye than 

 the thistle tribe, as they are not only useless, 

 but occupy much ground, and, being furnished 

 with winged downy seeds, are capable of being 

 multiplied and carried almost to any distance: 

 besides, they do much mischief by impeding 

 the work both in handling hay and corn crops. 

 It is, of course, a matter of much consequence 

 to be well acquainted with the qualities of each 

 kind, in order to enable us to judge with cer- 

 tainty how far and by what means their de- 

 struction may be effected in the most certain, 

 and ready manner. 



There are in England many sorts of thistles, 

 but those which chiefly deserve the attention 

 of the farmer are either of the annual, bien- 

 nial, or perennial kinds. 



The annual species of thistle are the musk- 

 thistle (Carduus nutans), the milk-thistle (C. 

 marianws), the welted or curled thistle (C.acan- 

 thoides), the slender-flowered thistle (C. tenui- 

 florus), the common sow-thistle [Sonchus olera- 



