234 farmers' and mechanics' journal. 



3. In the south of Europe, a very good soup is made by mashed 

 or diluted pumpkins with oil, butter, or broth. This dish is called 

 Furlata in Tuscany. Rice is often added to it. 



4. The hard skins of pumpkins, if uninjured, may be used for 

 pails, buckets, baskets, &:c. The pumpkins may be made to as- 

 sume almost any shape, by being confined while young, in wooden 

 or hard vessels, which they will fill gradually, moulding themselves 

 to their shapes. I remain, respectfully, yours, &c. 



C. S. Rafinesque, 

 Prof, of Botany and JYalural History. 

 Transylvania Univers-ity, Sept. 10, 1819. 



ON THE SALIVATION OF HORSES. 



BY C. S. RAFINESQUE. 



This disorder frequently attacks horses in many parts of the 

 United States. It is well known to consist in an unnatural elfusion 

 of saliva in a watery state, flowing often with rapid succession, and 

 debilitating exceedingly the animals subject to it. Cows, also, 

 have been known to be slightly affected by the same disorder ; but 

 no other domestic animals. 



Various conjectures have been formed on the cause of this mor- 

 bid affection, some of which are rather ludicrous if not extravagant. 

 Such, for instance, is that which ascribes it to a spider swallowed 

 by the horse ! But I am not aware that any one has published as 

 yet the real cause ; and the knowledge of a speedy remedy seems 

 to be siill more wanted. 



Being enabled to point out the true cause, and to offer a reme- 

 dy, I venture to publish both in the expectation of contributing 

 thereby to lessen and prevent the injury arising from neglect and 

 accident. 



I am happy to mention that 1 am indebted to my worthy friend, 

 Mr. Bradbury, for (he leading facts in this statement. We both 

 agreed in conjecturing properly on this subject; but he had the 

 advantage to ascertain the facts by actual experiments, and to 

 point out the proper cure. 



Two kinds of weeds, which grow occasionally in meadows and 

 pastures, produce this disorder, whenerer they are accidentally 

 eaten by horses and cattle, together with clover or grass ! Sheep 

 and hogs never eat them. The first and the worst is the Euphorbia 

 hijpericifolia., a small milky plant with opposite smooth leaves and 

 very small white flowers. The second is the Lobelia injlata, or 

 asthma-weed, a larger plant, with alternate hairy leaves, blue 

 flowers and swelled seed vessels. Both have the leaves ovate, 

 oblong, and slightly toothed. 



They both blossom at the end of the summer, when of course 

 they are largest and most detrimental. Being mixed with the se- 

 cond growth of clover and grass, they sometimes become entangled 

 thereto, and are eaten by horses, who would probably reject them 

 otherwise. They may likewise become mixed with the second 

 crop of hay, and be eaten with it by horses. Hence has arisen the 



