T E A 



of tears, is fecictcd in a fluid (late, and afterwaids coii- 

 verted, by the aAion of the air during refpiration, into the 

 Hate we ufually fee it. The folid matter of tears obtained 

 by evaporation, when burnt, leaves feme traces of the 

 phofphates of lime and foda. Journ. de Phyfique, t. xxxix. 



p. 256. 



TEASARRAH, in Geography, a town of Bengal; 72 



miles W. of Midiiapour. 



TEASEL, or Teazel, in Botany. See Dipsacus. 

 Befide the common wild fpecies of this plant, there is a 

 larjre kind of it, the heads of which are of fingular ufe in 

 railing the nap upon woollen cloth, for which it is pro- 

 pagated in great quantities in many parts of the .weft of 

 England. 



The foils moft adapted to the growth of this plant are 

 thofc of the more ftrong and deep kinds, but which are not 

 too rich; as loamy clays, and fuch a,s have ftrong marly 

 bottoms, and are fit for the growth of wheat crops. 



The moft favourable fituations are thofe that are rather 

 elevated, open, and incline a little to the fouth ; and the 

 higher grounds, particularly where the country is inclofed, 

 are the moft advantageous. 



For tlic preparation of the ground, where k is a lea, it 

 ftiould te ploughed up deeply in the early part of the year, 

 as in the beginning of February ; and where it is inclined 

 to moifture, it ftiould be executed in narrow ridges of not 

 more than three bouts each, the furrow flices being laid over 

 in as even and regular a manner as poffible, the fine mould 

 from the furrows being raifed by the plough or fpade fo as 

 to cover the fku-face. But in lands that are fufficiently dry, 

 and which are broken up from ftubble, the ploughing may 

 be defen-ed to a later period, and be laid in ridges of much 

 greater breadths, and in a more flat form. 



Mr. Billingfley, in his Agi-icultural Report of So- 

 merfetftiire, has remarked, that in the providing feed, it 

 ftiould conftantly be taken froni fuch plants as are the moft 

 perfeft of their kind, and the moft produdtive in heads ; as 

 there is much difference in the quantity that is afforded by 

 different plants, fome producing nearly a hundred, while 

 others do not afford more than three or four. It ftiould be 

 fnffered to remain till it becomes perfeftly ripened, and be 

 ufed while frefti. 



With refpeft to the proportion of feed, that which is 

 moftly employed on the acre is from about one to two 

 packs, according to the above writer ; but fome make ufe 

 of a larger quantity, as two pecks, or more. 



It may be noticed, in regard to the feafon of putting in 

 crops of this fort, that it 13 commonly about the middle of 

 March or beginning of April. The common method of 

 putting this fort of crop into the ground is the broad-caft, 

 It being fown evenly over the furface, in the manner that is 

 praftifed for turnips, fown in this way. But before this is 

 done, the land (hould be well harrowed down, in order to 

 afford a fine ftatc of mould as a bed for the feed. It is then 

 to be covered in by a flight harrowing with a light (hort- 

 tined harrow, fuch as is ufed for grafs-feeds. Some, how- 

 ever, prefer a light bufti-harrow for this purpofe. 



However, this fort of crop may be fown in rows in the 

 drill method, at the diftance of eight, twelve, or more inches 

 from each other, in the fame way as that of the driUed tur- 

 nip. But this method is not, we believe, yet much em- 

 ployed by thofe who are in the praftice of raifing crops of 

 this nature. 



In the after-culture of crops of this kind, much depends 

 on the land between the plants being kept perfeftly clean 

 and free from weeds ; in having them fet out to proper and 



9 



T E A 



fufficient diftanccs, as about twelve inches ; and in liaving 

 them well earthed up. Some cultivators perform frequent 

 diggings, that the ground may be rendered cleaner and more 

 mellow, confequcntly the growth of the plants be the more 

 cffeftually promoted. This bufinefs has ufually the name 

 of fpaddling, or fpittling, and is executed with great dif- 

 patch by labourers that are accuftomed to perform it. 

 When thefe diggings have been finifhed, nothing further is 

 neceffary till the period of cutting, which is generally about 

 the end of the month of July in the fecond year, which is 

 known by fome of the upperinoft heads beginning to blow ; 

 as when the bloffoms fall, they are ripe, and in a ftate to be 

 cut and fecured. 



This cutting is moftly executed at three different times, 

 at the diftances of about ten days or a fortnight from 

 each other. It is performed by means of a knife, contrived 

 for the purpofe, with a fhort blade, and a ihing attached to 

 the haft. This laft is done, in order that it may be hung' 

 over the hand or wrift, when the leaves are to be ftripped 

 from the ftem parts. A pair of ftrong gloves is likewifc 

 neceffary. Thus prepared, the labourer cuts off the ripe 

 heads along the rows or lines, or otherwife, with about nine 

 inches of ftem, and ties them up in handfuls with the ftem 

 of one that is more perfeftly ripened, or etherwife. And 

 on the evening of the day on which they are cut, they ftiould 

 be put into a dry (hed ; and when the weather is fine, and 

 the air clear, they fhould be taken out and expofed to the 

 fun daily, till they become perfeftly dry. As foon as they 

 are completely dried, they ftiould be laid up in a dry room, 

 in a clofe manner, till they become tough and of a bright 

 colour, and ready for ufe. They ftiould then be forted or 

 feparated into three different kinds, by opening each of the 

 fmall bundles. Thefe are diftinguiftied into kings, mldiUings, 

 and fcrubs, according to their different qualities. They^re 

 afterwards, the author of the above report fays, made ifito 

 packs, which, of the firft fort, contain nine thoufand heads ; 

 but when of the fecond, twenty thoufand ; the third is a 

 fort of very inferior value. By fome, before forming them 

 into packs, they are done up into what are termed ftaves, 

 by means of fplit fticks, when they are ready for fale. 



The produce in crops of this nature muft be very uncer- 

 tain, there being fometimes fifteen, or fixteen, or more packs 

 on the acre ; and at other times fcarcely any. The produce 

 is difpofed of to the cloth manufafturers in Somerfetftiire, 

 Wiltftiire, and Yorkftiire. 



It has been ftated, that formerly an acre of land, if well 

 grown, and what is deemed a full crop, often produced nine 

 packs of tings, nineteen of middlings, and two of fcrubs. 



In the county of Elfex, they have a fingular praftice of 

 cultivating and growing teafel crops with feeds, fuch as 

 coriander and carraway, producing thereby a fort of treble 

 crop. It is ftated, that the feeds of thefe feveral plants are 

 fown together, very early in the fpring, upon a ftrong old 

 lay, once ploughed ; and generally yield very confideraMe 

 returns. 



It is noticed, that the head of the teafel is of a conical 

 form, two or three inches in length, and one or one and a 

 half in diameter at the bottom, or largeft end ; armed on 

 every part with fmall ftrong points, turned a little down- 

 wards ; and are bought by the woollen manufafturers, who 

 fix them upon frames, calculated to cover a cylinder, which 

 is made to turn round, and flightly catch their fays, bays, 

 and other fuch articles, which another part of the weaver's 

 machine draws agaiiift them ; by which means the knap is 

 raifed to almoft any length the manufafturet wilhes. 



The largeft burs, and thofe moft pointed, are efteemcd 



the 



