April 25, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
541 
common name, is probably derived from the close 
resemblance the leaves have in their outline to that of 
a colt’s-foot. It is also mentioned by the old herbalists 
under the various names of Cough-wort, Foal’s-foot, 
Bull-foot, and Horse-hoof. If it be, as is generally 
supposed, the Bccliion of the Greeks, then it was among 
them as much prized as a remedy for coughs and affec¬ 
tions of the lungs as it was by our ancient apothecaries. 
The Colt’s-foot is used iu many ways for medicinal 
purposes. Colt’s-foot lozenges can be purchased at 
every chemist’s. The haves have long been smoked 
for the cure of chest complaints, and they form the 
chief ingredient in British herb tobacco. They are 
somewhat austere, bitterish, and mucilaginous, and 
were formerly much used in coughs and consumptive 
complaints. Dr. Cullen found them to do considerable 
service in scrofulous cases. Ha gave a decoction of 
Plants,” says, “ If the down flyeth off Coltsfoot, Dande- 
lyon, and Thistles, when there is no wind, it is a sign 
of rain ”—an observation illustrated by the fact that 
the change in the electrical state of the air immediately 
preceding rain would tend to loosen these downy 
substances from their parent plants. 
How to get lid of the plant when once established is 
a matter of some difficulty. As it especially delights 
in an abundance of wet, draining the land is obviously 
a good remedy. Lime rubbish, sand, and coal ashes, 
if incorporated with the clay-soil it haunts, will assist 
in eradicating it. Frequent applications of the hoe, so 
as never to permit the leaves to be long above ground, 
and of course the plants never to flower, will, in course 
of time, effectually eradicate the Colt’s-foot. Another 
but a more laborious remedy is digging the ground, pick¬ 
ing out the creeping roots, and turning them.— 11. D. 
one of the Pelargonium Madame Thibaut, or rather the 
white sport from it. All three varieties were exhibited 
by Mr. C. Turner, Slough, at the Drill Hall on the 
21st inst., and each received an Award of Merit. 
-- 
JAPAN PRIMROSES. 
It is pleasing to note the favour with which Primula 
Sieboldi is beiDg received in different quarters, and 
new and improved varieties raised. In this latter 
respect there is an absence of formality in the flowers, 
inasmuch as encouragement is given to variation of all 
kinds, such as colour, size, form, fringing or incision 
at the margins, and the overlapping of the segments. 
The pleasing soft green colour of the foliage, and its 
abundance, serve as a beautiful background for the 
flowers, that under good cultural treatment just lise 
Varieties of Primula Sieboldi. 
dried leaves and found it succeed where sea-water had 
failed. fuller states the case of a girl with twelve 
scrofulous sores, who was cured by drinking daily as 
much as she could, for above four months, of the de¬ 
coction of the leaves made so strong as to be sweetish and 
glutinous. The flowers are used in a state of infusion 
in cases of slight irritation of the bronchial membrane. 
These properties are, however, not regarded with any 
degree of confidence. It is interesting to know that 
the smoking of Coltsfoot for a cough has the recom¬ 
mendation of Dioscorides, Galen, Pliny, Boyle, &c., 
and Linnaeus says it is still used in Sweden for this 
purpose. According to Pliny’s direction it may be an 
efficacious remedy for a cough if the smoke of this plant 
in a dried state be inhaled by the aid of a reed and 
swallowed; it is necessary, however, that a sip of 
raisin wine be taken after each puff. This is the only 
account among the ancients which tends towards the 
practice of smoking. The Highlanders used the leaves, 
when dried, as tinder. 
Coles, in his “Introduction to the Knowledge of 
NEW INDIAN AZALEAS. 
Pharailde Mathilde. —The flowers of this variety 
are of large size, double, with broad, loosely-arranged 
corolla segments, that is, the parts were not crowded nor 
lumpy in any way. The ground colour is white, with 
a few irregular red splashes, and numerous small rosy 
red spots all over. The leaves were large and bright 
green, or at least as much as could be seen of them for 
the flowers. M. Labrousse. —The leaves of this, on 
the contrary, are small and bright green, while the 
flowers are large, single, flatly campanulate, and of an 
uniform deep red. Princess Clementine.— Only a 
small plant of this was staged, yet so floriferous was it, 
that scarcely a leaf could be seen for the flowers. The 
plant was also very dwarf, with deep green foliage. 
The flowers are of large size, white, with some yellow 
spotting on two or three of the upper segments, and 
may be described as single, although they often show a 
tendency to become semi-double by the production of a 
few small segments in the centre. The larger segments 
are very broad, and more or less undulated, reminding 
sufficiently above the leaves to make them conspicuous. 
Being perfectly hardy no fire heat at all is required 
provided the plants are kept safe from frost after they 
have been excited into growth. The accompanying 
illustration shows the form and general appearance of 
the flowers of half a dozen varieties that existed at 
least six or eight years ago, and are still cultivated. 
The collection exhibited at the Drill Hall last Tuesday 
by Messrs. Byder & Son, Sale, near Manchester, showed 
newer and some even finer varieties, such as Bruce 
Findlay and Harry Leigh, blue and lilac respectively, 
Queen of Whites, and others. They are very service¬ 
able for conservatory decoration during April and 
May. 
♦ 
Painting Wood. —It is found that in painting 
wood one coat takes 20 lbs. of lead and four gallons of 
oil per 100 square yards ; the second coat 40 lbs. of lead 
and four gallons of oil ; and the third the same as the 
second, say, 100 lbs. of lead and sixteen gallons of oil 
per 100 square yards for the three coats. 
