250 Mr. William Pitt on the 



which being furnished with feathers, would otherwise fly over the whole 

 country. 



45. Common or way thistle, cursed thistle, or saw wort, (Serratula aniensisj 

 universally called thistle, but arranged by Linnaeus, not as a Cardans, but a Serra- 

 tula ; growing every where ; may be weakened by good tillage and weeding, but 

 not totally destroyed otherwise, than by universal agreement to root it up, before 

 its seeds ripen, or by a regulation of police enforcing the same ; this weed one should 

 almost conclude to be naturally produced by the soil, in consequence of the curse, 

 " thorns also and thistles, shall it bring forth unto thee ;" yet doubtless stricdy 

 speaking, produced only from its numerous fibrous roots, (which are hardy and 

 strictly perennial, and which if separated in parts by ploughing, or digging, each 

 part will, if left fresh in the soil, often vegetate, and produce a plant ;) and from its 

 more numerous seeds, which are feathered, and will fly to a great distance with 

 the wind, and when it becomes calm alighting upon cultivated land, they will there 

 vegetate and grow luxuriantly, so that it is in vain for any person to attempt, 

 clearing his land of this weed, unless his neighbours also pursue the same plan : 

 the roots of this plant may be pretty effectually destroyed, by a well managed 

 summer fallow; as they will not survive repeated ploughings up in hot weather; 

 and if due attention were bestowed to prevent it seeding, its numbers might be 

 diminished: it is very injurious to all crops. 



The goat and ass will eat it: horses, will sometimes crop the heads when young 

 and tender, but no other cattle touch it growing. When burnt, it is said to yield a 

 very pure vegetable alkali. Flora Rustica. 



46. Thistles fCarduus'sJ, called in Staffordshire, boar thistles, to distinguish them 

 from the last, and from sow thistles, several sorts, principally the Carduus lanceolatus, 

 praterais, and acaulis ; with other sorts less common ; they abound in meadows, 

 pastures, hedge sides, and borders of corn fields, where ihev should be rooted up 

 after rain, before their seeds ripen, otiierwise such seeds are liable to fly all over 

 the country; these plants grow very luxuriantly, drawing mucli from the soil, and 

 injuring or prevenUng the growth of grass near them, are very unsightly, and 

 useless to cattle; some of the species, particularly the meadow thistles, are peren- 

 nial, others are annual or biennial. Dr. Withering has mtniioned the following 

 uses of thistles, he says of the Carduus lanceolatus. If a heap of clay is thrown up, 

 nothing would grow upon it for several years, did not the seeds of tliis plant. 



