254 THE COMFEEY CROP. 



high, with coarse wavy leaves. The flowers are either 

 purple or white, and grow in racemes. The plant pushes 

 its vegetation very forward in the spring, and thus pro- 

 duces a great quantity of tender succulent shoots and 

 leaves, which are readily eaten by cattle; cows particu- 

 larly seem to do well on it. 



S. asperrimum Prickly Comfrey which has been 

 recommended as superior to the common species for 

 the purposes of cultivation, is likewise a perennial plant, 

 with thick, branching, and fleshy roots. The stem 

 is thickly set with reversed prickles, and grows to the 

 height of from 6 to 8 feet, with rough-stalked leaves, 

 heart-shaped, and tapering towards the point, with blue 

 flowers. It is a native of Siberia, and was introduced 

 into this country at the close of the last century, and 

 again had public attention called to it in 1 830 by Mr. 

 Grant, of Lewisham, who strongly recommended it as a 

 forage plant. It is very easy of propagation by either 

 seeds or roots, and, when once well established in a con- 

 genial soil, will continue to give a satisfactory return for 

 a great number of years, with out deterioration. There are 

 other species of Sympliytum which no doubt would, under 

 cultivation, be equally relished by cattle, but none of them 

 'appear to offer any advantages over the two now de- 

 scribed. In all cases the plants should not be allowed to 

 get too much growth before they are given to the cattle, 

 as otherwise the stems get hard and woody, and are 

 neither so palatable nor so digestible when eaten 



Unlike some of the preceding forage plants, growing na- 

 turally and capable of cultivation in the poorer class of soils, 

 the Symphytum needs a deep and good loamy soil for its 

 healthy growth, in which its branching fleshy roots can 

 roam and find the necessary supplies of food The prickly 

 species, which certainly is superior to the common for the 

 general purposes of cultivation, may be grown in suitable 



