CAU 



CED 



of securing a race suited to our cli- 1 

 mate and pasture. To attain this ob- 

 ject, the prominent agricultural so- 

 cieties have otTered prizes at their 

 fairs for improved native stock. 



CAUDATE (from cauda, a tail). 

 Furnished with a tail-like appendage. 



CAUDEX. The body of a root. 



CAULIFLOWER. An improved 

 cabbage, the flowers of which form 

 a mass of great delicacy. The va- , 

 rieties cultivated in the United States i 

 are the early white, late white, and pur- j 

 pie. Sow the seed in September in 

 clean, rich soil, prick out in five 

 weeks, and set in another bed four 

 inches each way. As soon as the , 

 weather is cold, set a frame about 

 the seedlings, and in winter protect 

 with dung outside, &c., so as to keep 

 out frost, but let in plenty of air and 

 light. Early in March set out under 

 hand frames, or in pots in the green- 

 house. When the weather is set- | 

 tied, put out, with balls of earth at- 

 tached, in the richest spot, two and a 

 half feet each way. They must be 

 hoed, earthed up, and watered, if ne- 

 cessary. Trim off the outer leaves 

 as the cauliflower forms ; they will 

 be mature m June. This is the best 

 way, but plants may be sown in hot- 

 beds in February, or even in May, in 

 the open air. They are, however, in- 

 tolerant of cold and heat, and form 

 small hearts during the summer. 

 Those planted in May flower in Oc- 

 tober. An ounce of good seed yields 

 from three to four thousand plants. 

 Cauliflowers left for seed must be 

 kept away from any other cabbage 

 variety, and the seeds collected as 

 rapidlv as they ripen. 



CAULIS (from Kav?.or). A stem. 

 From this word comes cauliferous. 



CAUSTIC. Any application that 

 destroys the flesh or skin to which 

 it is applied. The most powerful 

 caustics are lunar caustic (nitrate of 

 silver), red precipitate (nitrate of mer- 

 cury), caustic potash: blue stone is 

 also used. Sometimes a solution of 

 blue stone or lunar caustic is applied 

 to stimulate an ulcer or slowly re- 

 move excessive growth. Caustics 

 are chieflv used to subdue irregular 



growths of flesh, and to destroy ul- 

 cers. 



CAUSTIC, LUNAR. Nitrate of 

 silver, sold in sticks, ready for use as 

 a caustic ; when used in solution, ten 

 grains are mixed with an ounce of 

 water. 



CAUTERY, or ACTUAL CAU- 

 TERY. The app] ication of a red- hot 

 iron to a diseased part, as fungous 

 growths, &c. It is too often used 

 injudiciously. 



CAVIARE. The salted roe of the 

 sturgeon, prepared and dried. It is 

 an unwholesome food used in Russia. 



CEDAR. There are two species 

 of Cuprcssus known in ihe forests of 

 the United States under the names 

 of black cedar, or cypress (C. disti- 

 cha), and the white cedar ( C. thyoides). 

 They both yield good timber. 



The C. disticha is abundant in the 

 swamps of Virginia and the South, 

 and forms the only tree in immense 

 swamps on the Mississippi. In these 

 localities it often rises 130 feet, and 

 attains 30 to 40 feet girth at the earth, 

 running up like a cone. The wood 

 is extremely durable, and in high re- 

 pute for shingles and posts. It is fell- 

 ed in winter, and allowed to dry thor- 

 oughly before being split. The trees, 

 which grow, in a great measure, in 

 water, have light barks, and are call- 

 ed white cypress, while those of drier 

 soils are called black cypress, and yield 

 a firmer and more resinous wood. 



The white cypress, C. thyoides, is ev- 

 ergreen, grows seldom 70 feet high, 

 and is about three feet in diameter. 

 It is abundant in New-Jersey, Mary- 

 land, and Virginia, but not farther 

 south. It inhabits salt and other 

 marshes in dense forests. The wood 

 is light, soft, of a rosy colour, aromat- 

 ic, easily worked, and very durable. It 

 is used by turners, and forms the most 

 valuable shingles, sometimes called 

 juniper shingles, which last 35 years. 



CEDAR OF LEBANON. Abies 

 cedrus. A tree of immense dimen- 

 sions, value, and beauty, native on 

 the Lebanon Mountains. It is natu- 

 , ralized in Europe, and is a splendid 

 ornament in English parks. The 

 , wood is very durable. It may be cul» 



141 



