YOL 



ZEO 



YELLO^Y TOP. White top. 

 Agrostis alba. 



YELLOW WASH. An applica- 

 tion to ulcers. It is made i)y adding 

 a drachm ol' lime-water to two grains 

 of corrosive sublimate dissolved in 

 one ounce of water. 



YELLOW WEED. The butter- 

 cups, or Ranunculus, are so called. 



YELLOW WOOD. Vngtlia lutca. 

 A medium-sized leguminous tree of 

 West Tennessee, seldom attaining 

 forty feet, and growing in rich, deep 

 sods. The leaves are large, smooth, 

 pinnate ; the flowers in pendulous 

 clusters, like the locust, and white. 

 It is a highly ornamental tree, and 

 an infusion of the bark affords a yel- 

 low dye. 



YEW. The genus Taxus, conif- 

 erous trees and shrubs, with ever- 

 green, small leaves, of slow growth, 

 but producing very hard, strong wood, 

 formerly reputed for bows, and now 

 used in cabinet-work. The T. bac- 

 cala is the yew-tree ; the T. Canaden- 

 sis is a shrub of five feet. They make 

 good hedges, but the leaves are poi- 

 sonous. 



YOKE. A frame of wood fixed 

 with bows over the necks of oxen, 

 whereby they are coupled together, 

 or yoked. It is sometimes written 

 "yoak," and is composed, 1. Of a thick 

 piece of wood that passes over the 

 neck, and is properly called the 

 " yoke ;" 2. Of a bow, which encom- 

 passes the neck ; and, 3. Of the 

 " wreathings," or " stitchings," that 

 serve to connect the whole. Besides 

 these parts, there are employed a 

 ring, denominated the " yoke-ring," 

 and a chain lor securing the traces. 

 For a new method of yoking, see Ox 

 Yoke. 



Yoke is also an old measure of 

 land, the quantity ploughed in a day 

 by a couple of oxen. 



YOLK. The yellow of the egg. 

 An animal soap, also called gum, se- 

 creted by the skin of sheep, and per- 

 vading the wool. The finest fleeces 

 contain most yolk, especially that of 

 the Merinos. It is readily softened 

 by warm water, and may be washed 

 out without trouble ; but there re- 

 874 



mains an oil among the wool, which 

 is only separated with trouble. The 

 amount varies from twenty to fifty 

 per cent, of tiie fleece, and is most in 

 warm climates and fine fleeces. 



YT^RIU.^L The metallic base of 

 yttria, a rare earth resembling alu- 

 mina. 



YUCCA. Adam's needle, bear's 

 grass. A genus of shrubby, liliaceous 

 plants, with large, rigid leaves, inhab- 

 iting the sandy sea-coasts of Georgia 

 and the South. The Sisal hemp is 

 of this genus, and the leaves of all 

 the species may be wrought into a 

 long staple. I'he Y. gloriosa, petre, 

 is celebrated for its magnificent in- 

 florescence, and yields strong hemp. 

 The roots of some species abound in 

 farina, and were used by the Indians 

 for food. 



YULE. Christmas. 



Z. 



Z.\MIA. A genus of cycadeous 

 trees, the stems of which yield a kind 

 of sago. The Z. mtegrifulia and Z. 

 ■puniila grow in Florida, and furnish 

 sago, or what is improperly called ar 

 row-root. 



ZAPZIEGER CHEESE. Sap 

 sago. See Cheese. 



ZEA. The generic name of the 

 Indian corn (Z. mays). 



ZEBRA. The zebra is of the size 

 and general appearance of the mule, 

 but with a skin striped with brown, or 

 black and white : it has not been do- 

 mesticated. 



ZEDOARY. Curcuma Zcdoaria. 

 An East Indian plant, of the same 

 family as the ginger, but producing 

 rhizomes not quite as pungent. 



ZECKSTEIN. A magnesian 

 limestone, lying below the red sand- 

 stone. 



ZEIN. The azotized product of 

 Indian corn, similar to albumen. 



ZENITH. The vertical point in 

 the sky of any place ; the point im- 

 mediately overhead. 



ZEOLITE. A family of minerals 

 which fuse and boil before the blow- 

 pipe ; they are silicates of alumina 

 and lime, or soda with water. The 

 soda zeolite is called Nalrolite. 



