[ f 3 



5. Lappa major tnotttana, capltulu minoribus, rolundlorihm G? magis tomentojls. 



6. Lappa major ex omn'i parte minor, c aphid is par vis ekganter reticidatis. 

 Lappa vulgaris major cafiituUs foliojis. Var. 



All theie are however confidered by the botanifts of the prefent day as one fpecies, to which may be added a 

 variety with white flowers, which often occurs. 



The Burdock is a very common plant by way fides, and in wafte places, and flowers in July and Auguft. 



In the fize of its leaves it may fometimes difpute the palm with the Butterburr ; painters often introduce them 

 in the foregrounds of their pictures, which they are admirably well calculated to embelliih. 



No fort of cattle reliih the foliage of this plant, but fnails, flugs, and many fpecies of caterpillars feed on it 

 / delicioufiy ; the pith produces its particular moth, which does not appear to be defcribed by Linnaeus, but is 

 mod accurately figured by Sepp*, and called by Aurelians the Mottled Orange, the caterpillar of this moth 

 changes into chryfalis about the beginning of Auguft, during which month it may be found in that ftate by 

 fplitting the (talks of fuch plants as appear ftinted in their growth ; the moth comes out about the end of Auguft, 

 and is one of thofe whofe bodies are extremely apt to become greafy, to prevent which the body (hould be care- 

 fully opened on the under tide, and its contents taken out previous to its being placed in the cabinet. A fmali 

 larva, not peculiar to this plant, feeds alfo betwixt the coats of the leaf. 



The feeds, like thofe of the thiftle tribe* are fought for by feveral of the feathered fongfters, and are even re- 

 commended to fatten poultry f. 



The microfcope informs us, vide Jig. 1, 2. why the burrs adhere fo clofely to one's cloaths, and why boys, who 

 divert themfelves by throwing them at one another, have fo much difficulty in extricating them from their hair. 



As a weed it is not fo formidable as it appears to be, being a biennial the huibandman has only to deftroy its 

 feedlings. 



The root and (talks are efculent and nutritive ; the (talks for this purpofe mould be cut before the plant flowers, 

 the rind peeled off, and then boiled and ferved up in the manner of Chardoons, or eaten raw, as a fallad, with 

 oil and vinegar. Lightfoot Fl. Scot. p. 446. 



The feeds have a bitterifh, fubacrid tafte, they are recommended as very efficacious diuretics, given either in the 

 form of emulfion or in powder to the quantity of a drachm. The roots tafte fweetifh, with a (light aufterity 

 and bitteriffinefs ; they are efteemed aperient, diureric and fudorinc, and faid to ad without irritation, fo as to be 

 fafely ventured on in acute diforders. Decoftions of them have of late been ufed in rheumatic, gouty, and other 

 diforders, and preferred by fome to thofe of Sarfaparilla. Lewis's Difp, p. ioi. 



* Niderlandfche Infe£len. t. 3. f Stirp. indig. Aragon. p, 113. 



