A Thirsty June 
of the workaday world came the welcome sound of rain- 
drops, and we have had showers all day and a heavy mist. 
I never thought to be so glad to see rain in Scotland. J ust 
a little more of this rain and we shall have an abundance of 
flowers and vegetables. In our late straits I ventured to 
broach the idea of Nettles to the Cook. To my surprise 
she met me halfway, and willingly consented to cook them, 
saying she well remembered in her young days in Dumfries- 
shire how the earliest Nettle-sprouts were used both in soup 
and as a vegetable prepared like Spinach, and equally good 
she averred. The well-grown Nettles were given to the 
cows, who were passionately fond of them. It was thought 
the flavour of the milk and butter was improved by this 
diet. Here is an old recipe for Nettle-beer. I think 
some day I shall try it, though our Nettle-broth was, un- 
fortunately, rather tasteless, owing to the Nettles being 
too far advanced. Nettle Beer : Take one gallon of spring 
water, boil in it 2 quarts young nettle sprouts. Strain the 
liquor. Put to it i lb. sugar and 1 teaspoonful ginger. 
When nearly cold, ferment with yeast and bottle securely 
while in a state of effervescence. It will be ready for use in 
a few days. Nettle-tea is an old remedy for nettlerash. 
In an old family receipt-book, over two hundred years old, 
I have the following recipe for a Syrup of Nettles : “ Pick 
the youngest Nettles in April, and put them in a Pintstoup ; 
put the Stoup in a Pot of Water, and let them simmer for 
twelve Hours, then squeeze out the Tincture and put it in 
a clean Pan, break the Whites of two Eggs and mix with it ; 
and when it boils skim it, and to every Mutchkin of Tinc- 
ture put a Pound of brown Sugar-candy. When it is dis- 
solved, set it on the Fire and boil it up to a Syrup, then let 
it cool, and bottle it ; put no Water to the Nettles. They 
are good for Consumptions.” One never hears now of 
Nettles being used to make linen, and yet they were long 
ago, since Thomas Campbell, the poet, writes of sleeping in 
Nettle-sheets and using a Nettle-tablecloth ; and in Ander- 
sen’s delightful story of “ The Wild Swans,” the king’s 
daughter wove the Nettles into shirts for her brothers, 
183 
