MOW 



MUC 



plumage, and also partially where 

 feathers of new colours are produced. 



MOUNTAIN ASH. Pynis aucu- 

 faria. Rowan-trec. A handsome ex- 

 otic shrubbery-tree, with beautiful 

 bunches of red berries, which are oc- 

 casionally prepared by soaking in wa- 

 ter, and preserved as a sweetmeat. 



MOUNTAIN LAUREL. Kalmia 

 lafifolia. A handsome shrubbery 

 plant ; the flowers are poisonous. It 

 sometimes grows to 15 or 20 feet. 



MOUNTAIN LI.MESTONE. The 

 strata of this material immediately 

 below the coal measures. 



MOUNTAIN MAHOGANY. Bc- 

 tvla Icnta. The black birch. 



MOUNTAIN RICE. Oryzopsis as- 

 perifolia. A perennial, native of the 

 South ; culm almost naked, leaves 

 rigid, erect, and sharp at the point ; 

 flowers in a panicle ; height 18 inch- 

 es : flowers in May. 



MOURAT. A name given to the 

 brown wool of some sheep. 



MOUSE. Several species of the 

 genus Mus, of the family Rodenha. 

 They are the food of cats, the terrier 

 family of dogs, hedgehogs, snakes, 

 and owls. Mice not only destroy the 

 products of the farm, but, when they 

 are shut out by well-made granaries, 

 gnaw the trunks and roots of trees, 

 doing much mischief to the orchard. 

 See Field Mice. Numerous common 

 traps are contrived for their capture. 

 The carbonate of barytes is recom- 

 mended in the Mark Lane Express as 

 a poison in the place of arsenic ; a 

 drachm should be mixed in the food 

 for each mouse, which should also be 

 flavoured with oil of anise seed to at- 

 tract them. The removal of grain 

 stacks is a good occasion to destroy 

 mice and rats ; let the stack be sur- 

 rounded at four feet by a few stakes, 

 some four feet high ; stretch around 

 these either hurdles or a coarse can- 

 vass, so that the vermin cannot es- 

 cape underneath ; as the grain is re- 

 moved, they will attempt to run away, 

 and may be killed by sticks within 

 the enclosure. 



M W. The mass of hay, straw, 

 grain, &.C., put up to dry and be pre- 

 served. 



MOW-BI"RNED. Injured by fer- 

 mentation in the mow. Fodder, when 

 too green, heats rapidly, becomes 

 black, and acquires a bituminous 

 taste ; this is disagreeable, and some- 

 times injurious to cattle. 



MOWING. The operation of cut- 

 ting down grass or other crops with 

 a scythe. The instruments used 

 are the common scythe, the cradle- 

 scythe where grain is cut, and the 

 Hainhault scythe and hook, which 

 answers for heavy crops. The op- 

 eration is extremely fatiguing, and 

 requires great strength and practice 

 from youth, as the body is swung 

 round in a very unusual manner. 



MOWING MACHINES. See 

 Reaping' Machines. 



MOXA. A conical mass of calico 

 or linen, rolled tightly, and with a 

 base of half an inch or more ; used 

 to produce a sore on the skin in cer- 

 tain diseases. The moxa, being pla- 

 ced on the part selected, is set on 

 fire at the upper part, and, burning 

 slowly downward, acts as an actual 

 cautery. The sore is kept open by 

 being dressed with basilicon, savin, 

 and irritating ointments, and serves 

 as an issue. 



MOYA. Mud poured out by vol- 

 canoes. 



MUCIC ACID. An acid produced 

 by the action of nitric acid on gum 

 and sugar of milk. It is a white, 

 crystalline powder, feebly acid, solu- 

 ble in six parts boilmg water, and 

 insoluble in alcohol. It is bibasic. 

 Formula, Ci: H., On + 2 HO. It was 

 formerly called saccholactic acid. 

 Mucic acid is converted into the py- 

 romucic by dry distillation. Cm H, O5 

 -{- HO. Both these acids form chlo- 

 ro compounds with chlorine. 



MUCILAGE. A thick solution of 

 gum in water. The ropy fluids ex- 

 tracted from certain plants by pres- 

 sure are also called mucilage. 



MUCIVORA. A fanuly of dipte- 

 rous insects, which feed on the juices 

 of plants and decaying matters. 



MUCK. A vulgar name for peat, 

 marsh mud, and decaying vegetable 

 matter generallv. 



MUCOUS MEMBRANE. The 



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