326 NATURAL HISTORY. 



cess of scutching, which is performed by hanging it over 

 an upright board called a scutching -block, and beat 

 it with a bat. Last of all it is drawn through a large 

 iron comb called a heck el. and afterwards spun into yarn. 

 The male plants pulled earlier than the female, which 

 are left standing that the seed may ripen yield the finest 

 quality of hemp. Seeds furnish good food for birds, and 

 are also used medicinally.* 



The Hop (Humulus lupulus). Stem twisted, angu- 

 lar, and always twining with the sun ; leaves very rough, 

 three to six lobed, heart-shaped. Found wild in hedges, 

 etc., both in Europe and America, and, as is well known, 

 extensively cultivated for the sake of its fertile aments, 

 used in the manufacture of beer. Flowers of both sexes 

 found on the same vine. Flowers of the fertile plants in 

 aments with large scales, and covered with yellow farina, 

 called hop-meal. Odor peculiar, strongly balsamic, pro- 

 duces sleepiness; taste, bitter aromatic. Used largely 

 in all liquors prepared from malt ; also considered to 

 possess medicinal qualities, and recommended in dys- 

 pepsia and diseases of the kidneys. 2. 



Common Nettle (Urtica urens). Leaves ovate, ellip- 

 tical, five-ribbed, deeply and acutely serrate, armed with 

 stinging hairs. Flowers in axillary, branching, hispid 

 spikes ; the stinging or burning sensation caused by con- 

 tact with the leaves of this plant, and dreaded by all 

 who approach it, is supposed to be produced by an acrid 

 sap which exudes through the capillary hairs, rather 

 than by the pricking of the hairs themselves. Spirits 

 of hartshorn is the best remedy ; where this is not at 



hand, fresh earth can be used. O- 



t 



* Not so largely cultivated in the United States as formerly. Tr. 



