CON 



COP 



the free soi], and thus growing up 

 from the floor, while in the green- 

 house the plants are grown in pots 

 placed on shelves, or on a stage or 

 series of shelves rising one above 

 another. Above a century ago, for 

 example, in the time of Evelyn, the 

 term conservatory was applied to 

 those garden buildings now called 

 orangeries, and in modern horticul- 

 ture employed only for the preserva- 

 tion of exotic plants, such as orange- 

 trees, &c., which are in a dormant 

 state during winter. The green- 

 house and the modern conservator}' 

 were then not in existence. They 

 are exclusively employed for the 

 preservation of plants which are in a 

 growing state during the winter. The 

 largest conservatory in the world, at 

 the present time (1841), is that erect- 

 ed at Chatsworth in Derbyshire, for 

 palms and other tropical plants, which 

 covers above an acre of ground, and 

 is sixty feet high.— {Brande's Ency- 

 clopedia.) 



CONSTIPATION. Costiveness, 

 want of regular evacuations from the 

 bowels. 



CONSTITUTION. The general 

 strength and liability to disease of 

 any person or animal. 



CONSTRICTOR. Any muscle 

 which has the power of closing the 

 openings of the body. 



CONTRACTION OF THE 

 HOOF. In farriery, a distorted 

 state of the horny substance of the 

 hoof in cattle, producing all the mis- 

 chiefs of unnatural and irregular 

 pressure on the soft parts contained 

 in it, and, consequently, a degree of 

 lameness which can only be cured by 

 removing the cause. Contraction of 

 the hoof rarely happens, however, 

 except to those animals whose hoofs, 

 for the convenience of labour, are 

 shod. — {Johnson.) 



CONVERTIBLE HUSBANDRY, 

 or MIXED HUSBANDRY. A term 

 implying frequent change in the same 

 field from tillage crops to grass, and 

 from grass back to tillage crops ; an 

 alternation of wheat, rye, &,c., with 

 root and grass crops. 



CONVOLVULACE.E. A family 

 174 



of plants, including the bind weed, 

 sweet potato, and jalap. The stems 

 are commonly twining, and the large 

 roots purgative ; the flowers are oft- 

 en beautiful and large. 



CONVULSIONS. An unnatural 

 action of the muscular system pro- 

 d\iced by a derangement of nervous 

 power. Staggering is a convulsion 

 originating in an excess of blood be- 

 ing diverted to the head, and is re- 

 lieved by bleeding ; the use of hot 

 baths to the lower extremities is also 

 useful. Worms frequently produce 

 convulsions. 



COOLER. The large vats of brew- 

 ers are so called. 



COOMB. A measure of four 

 bushels. 



COOP. A cage for poultry, of bas- 

 ket-work or laths. 



COPAL. A resinous body which 

 forms an excellent varnish when dis- 

 solved in linseed oil, and mixed with 

 turpentine. 



COPING. The top course of a 

 wall, usually of stone, and wider than 

 the wall, to save it from rain. 



COPPER. A red ductile metal, 

 remarkable for its conducting power. 

 The sulphate, or blue vitriol, is used 

 as a caustic in farriery, in dyeing, and 

 sometimes as a steep to kill insects 

 and parasites, &c., on wheat and 

 grain. A solution of blue vitriol, at 

 the rate of one ounce to enough wa- 

 ter to thoroughly soak a bushel of 

 wheat, is esteemed the most certain 

 preventive to smut, rust, and mildew, 

 and has been long used in Germany, 

 Switzerland, and the northeast of 

 France. The black oxide is of great 

 service in analvsis. 



copperas'. Green vitriol, sul- 

 phate of iron. Blue copperas is sul- 

 phate of copper, or blue stone. 



COPPICE. A young wood. Wood 

 cut every few years. 



COPROLITE (from Konpo^, excre- 

 ment, and TiidoQ, a stone). The fos- 

 sils resembling cones, which are 

 found in the ancient calcareous for- 

 mations, and shown by Professor 

 Buckland to be the petrified excre- 

 ments of former animals. They have 

 1 been discovered in the green sand of 



