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THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



The Useful Burdock. — Up to the present, few uses have 

 been found for the homely burdock except that of teach- 

 ing patience and perseverance to the agriculturist. The 

 roots of the plant still have some repute as an ingredient 

 in medicines intended to improve the blood but a more 

 rational course of living is rapidly making such invigor- 

 ators unnecessary. A new use of the fruit of this plant, 

 however has recently come to our attention. The burs, 

 g'lued to the back of small pasteboard emblems or ad- 

 vertisements serve admirably to attach them to the cloth- 

 ing. At country fairs, on tag days, in political campaigns, 

 etc., the omnipresent button may soon be replaced by 

 this new sort of a stickpin which requires only a touch 

 to attach and when once in place will stick to an3'body 

 closer than a brother. 



Lincoln and the White Snakeroot. — A trifle often 

 changes the destiny of individuals as well as nations. The 

 great State of Illinois takes considerable pride in the fact 

 that Lincoln was one of her "favorite sons," though, as a 

 matter of fact, he was born in Kentucky and did not mi- 

 grate to Illinois until he Avas nearly grown. This move, 

 if we may trust the historians, was largely due, though in 

 a roundabout way, to the white snakeroot (Eupatorium 

 agcratoides) . Lincoln's mother Nancy Hanks Lincoln died of 

 milk-sickness and it was her death that caused Lincoln's 

 father to remove to Illinois. Milk-sickness is a disease 

 of cattle often known as the "trembles" which can be 

 communicated to human beings. Its occurrence in cattle 

 is due to their eating our familiar woodland plant, the 

 snakeroot. The plant is not always harmful, but like the 

 loco-weed, in some locatities it takes from the ground 

 certain substances that cause the disease. It would not 

 surprise us if some enthusiast should propose the white 



