360 



DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



and other parts of the Bible, as being used for incense and 

 perfumery. 



Hemlock (Coniw?i maculatiim). A common plant in this 

 country, growing in waste places, hedges, and roadsides. It 

 has a hollow stem marked with reddish spots, rising sometimes 

 to the height of 3 or 4 feet, bearing umbels of white flowers, 

 and much divided parsley-like leaves ; the whole of a pale 

 green colour, having a nauseous smell Avhen bruised. The 

 plant is poisonous in the highest degree, the most active 

 part being the fruit. In medicine it is called Conium, and is 

 beneficial in some diseases when properly administered. 



Water Dropwort {(Enanthe crocata). A strong growing 

 perennial, attaining the height of 2 or 3 feet, having com- 

 pound divided leaves, with broad segments. It grows in 

 ditches 'and watery places, and has thick Parsnip-like roots, 

 but differs from that plant in a number growing together ; 

 they are j3oisonous in the highest degree. Several years ago 

 a number of convicts were poisoned through eating this root 

 in mistake for Parsnips, and cattle have suffered by eating 

 those cast out in clearing ditches. 



Water Hemlock {^Phellandnum aquaticimi). Water Parsnip 

 (Siwn latifoliiim). Coivhane {Cicuta virosa). Natives of 

 Britain, growing in wet places, even in water. They are all 

 highly poisonous, fatal accidents having occurred by the 

 leaves being eaten in mistake for Celery and Parsley. Indeed 

 it may be said that all umbelliferous plants growing near 

 watery places possess a more or less poisonous quality. 



Fools Parsley (^thusa Cynapiuin). An annual, native of 

 this country, often growing in cultivated ground, and in 

 gardens, so much resembling parsley, especially the broad- 

 leaved kind, that it has been used for such. It is highly 

 poisonous, producing numbness, insensibility, and sometimes 

 death. It is distinguished from parsley by the bluish tint 

 of its leaves, and being an annual, it comes into flower long 

 before Parsley. 



The whole of the preceding plants are of very uniform 

 appearance and character, being herbaceous, annuals, and pe- 



