i 9 o WEEDS OF FARM I.AXh 



Agrostis s/>/>. (Bent grass). This weed is little u-r<l cxa-pt 

 as feed for animals, but in Italy and the South of France the 

 stolons have sometimes been gathered into bundles by the poor 

 and sold in the market as horse provender. 1 Agrostis alba 

 has been cultivated for fodder, but this is seldom done now. 2 



Allium ursinum (Ramsons). Gerarde says that in the 

 Low Countries the leaves were stamped and eaten as a sauce, 

 and that the leaves were sometimes eaten in April and May 

 with butter. 3 In Khamchatka large quantities are stored for 

 winter use, both for culinary purposes and as an antiscorbutic. 4 



Borago officinalis (Borage). The young and tender leaves 

 are good in salads or as a pot-herb, and formerly were often 

 put into negus or cold tankards. Occasionally the leaves and 

 flowers have been employed as an ingredient in brewing. 1 



Cantelina sativa (Gold of pleasure). Although regarded 

 as a weed in England, this is such a useful plant that it is 

 cultivated on the Continent in Holland, Belgium, Germany, 

 North France, etc., and in South Europe produces two crops 

 a year. It yields an excellent oil which has practically no 

 smell and gives a brighter flame and less smoke than oil of 

 rape or mustard. 1 The oil was noted even in Gerarde's time, 

 for he says it was used by the poor peasants in their banquets, 

 and by rich people in their lamps. 3 It is now chiefly used by 

 soapmakers. The cake obtained after expressing the oil has 

 been suggested for use as cattle-food, but seems to be too acrid 

 to be satisfactory for that purpose.''' The stems are very fibrous, 

 being tough, hard, and durable, so that they are employed for 

 such purposes as thatching temporary buildings and for making 

 brooms, sack-cloth, sailcloth and packing paper. The plant 

 has been used as green fodder for sheep, and poultry and 

 geese are very fond of the seeds and quickly fatten on them. 5 



Carex (Sedge). The stiff strong leaves are occasionally 

 used by the poorer farmers for fodder, litter, thatch, and fuel, 

 and in Kent the leaves of the larger kinds have been employed 

 to fasten the hop-vines to the poles. The Laplanders protect 

 their hands and feet in winter with a flaxy fibre made from 

 sedge, and by the Italians it is used to stuff crevices of casks, 

 and to make bottoms of chairs and covers for flasks ot 

 Florence oil. 1 



Chenopodium album (Fat hen). The seeds have occasionally 



1 Wilson, loc. cit. * Lindley and Moore, Inc. cit. 



* Gerarde, Inc. cit. * Hogg and Johnson, loc. cit. 



6 Johnson, C. P. (1861-62), " Useful Plants of Great Britain ". 



