58 
Injuriouti Fodder and Poisonous Plants. 
the plant perpetuating itself by shoots sent from the roots. 
Perennial. 
IX. E .* — Mercurialis annua L. (Annual Dog or French 
Mercury). Stem : branched, 1 ft. to 2 ft. high. Leaves: 
smooth without stalk, growing close to the stem, spear shaped. 
Male and female flowers generally on different plants, though 
some male plants bear a few females. Yellow green. August 
and September. Place of growth: waste places ; rare, 
local (Norfolk, Suffolk). Annual. 
Qualities: Both varieties are dangerous poisons. The 
latter is less violent in action and rather rarely met with. Dog 
mercury belongs to our most poisonous herbs, producing rapid, 
pernicious effects. Nausea, vomiting, flow of saliva are the 
earliest symptoms noticeable. This plant is noxious to sheep, 
though as careful an observer as Linnaeus reports that goats 
and sheep eat it. From my own experience I can state that 
horses, cattle, ewes and lambs have been poisoned by these 
plants, dying after fits of violent vomiting. 
Urticaceae. Prevailing qualities : vesicant. 
X. A. — Urtica dioica L. (Great Nettle). Stem : 2 to 3 ft. 
high. Leaves: opposite, heart shaped. Flowers: male 
and female apart on distinct plants. In axillary knotty spikes. 
June to September. Place of growth: very common 
weed. Perennial. 
Qualities: The whole plant contains an acrid poison, 
especially the young leaves. I know of no cases where 
this plant has produced fatal injury after eating. Asses are 
fond of it. Cows eat the leaves when a little withered and in 
hay. Other animals refuse it. If animals have eaten of the 
plant urinary troubles have resulted in many instances. 
Coniferae. Prevailing qualities : aromatic ; irritant and narcotic. 
X. B. — Taxiis haccata L. (the Common Yew) and Taxus 
fastigiata Ldl. (the Irish Yew) are both highly poisonous, and are 
so well known that no description is necessary. It may be said 
that the fleshy part of the berries has no poisonous properties, as I 
often have proved myself. The seeds, the seed coat especially, 
however, contain the poison in large quantity. Sheep and other 
animals are known to have been killed by browsing upon the 
bark. It is often stated that the “loppings” in a half dry state 
are most detrimental to cattle. This is easily explained. A 
yew hedge is generally trimmed in spring, when quantities of 
the new and tender shoots are cut away and fall to the ground. 
These young shoots contain a large quantity of the poisonous 
juice, and animals picking them up from the ground are 
* The figures and letters in front of the names refer to the plate and 
illustration. 
