The Botanist's Companion, Volume II

Project Gutenberg's The Botanist's Companion, Vol. II, by William Salisbury This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: The Botanist's Companion, Vol. II Author: William Salisbury Release Date: May 16, 2004 [EBook #12363] Language: English *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOTANIST'S COMPANION, VOL. II *** Produced by Tobias von der HaarTHE BOTANIST'S COMPANION, OR AN INTRODUCTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF PRACTICAL BOTANY, AND THE USES OF PLANTS. EITHER GROWING WILD IN GREAT BRITAIN, OR CULTIVATED FOR THE PUROSES OF AGRICULTURE, MEDICINE, RURAL OECONOMY, OR THE ARTS. By WILLIAM SALISBURY, OF THE BOTANIC GARDEN OF SLOANE-STREET. "Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed, and every tree yielding fruit, and to you it shall be for meat." VOL. II.PREFACE TO THE SECOND VOLUME In demonstrating the Plants which occur in our annual herborizing excursions, I have found it necessary to put into the hands of my pupils some Manual of Botany; and in so doing I have found all that have yet been published, deficient in one or two essential points, and particularly as relating to the uses to which each plant is adapted; with out which, although the charms of the Flora are in themselves truly delightful, yet the real value of Botanic knowledge is lost. The study of plants, so far as regards their uses and culture, has engaged my particular attention for the last twenty-five years, during which time I had the honour of conducting a series of experiments on the growth of plants, for the Board of Agriculture, which gave me an opportunity of ascertaining many facts relative to our Grasses, &c. an account of which, I have had some time ready for publication. The necessity of a work of this kind in my present profession, has therefore induced me to abridge it and put it to press; as such I offer it to the Public. To the Subscribers to my Botanic Garden this will also prove of great service; it being intended to arrange the plants in their several departments, so as to make it a general work of reference both in the fields or garden. In the department which treats of the Vegetables used for medicinal purposes, I have given as ample descriptions as the nature of the work will admit of, having in view the very necessary obligation which the younger branch of the profession are under, of paying attention to the subject. In prosecuting this work, I have been more actuated by a desire to render to my pupils and others, useful in-formation, than that of commencing Author on such a subject; and writing for the press has been but very little my employment, I trust that an ample excuse will be granted for any errors that may appear, or for the want of that happiness of diction with which more able and accomplished Authors may be endowed. BOTANIC GARDEN, Sloane Street, May 1816.CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME PLANTS USEFUL IN AGRICULTURE. SECT. 1. Observations on saving Grass-seeds and the use of the British Grasses in general, as fodder, &c. SECT. 2. Observations on Artificial Grasses SECT. 3. Observations on Plants affording fodder from leaves and roots SECT. 4. Observations on Grains SECT. 5. Observations on Miscellaneous Articles PLANTS USEFUL IN THE ARTS. SECT. 6. Observations on British Trees and Shrubs SECT. 7. Observations on Medicinal Plants contained in the London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Pharmacopoeias SECT. 8. Observations on Medicinal Plants not in the Pharmacopoeias of the present day Observations on drying and preserving Plants for medicinal use, &c. SECT. 9. Observations on Plants cultivated for culinary purposes SECT. 10. Observations on Wild Plants useful for culinary purposes, which are not in cultivation SECT. 11. Observations on Plants useful for Dyeing SECT. 12. Observations on Plants used in rural oeconomy POISONOUS PLANTS GROWING IN GREAT BRITAIN, And their best recommended Antidotes. SECT. 13. Observations on Nauseous Poisonous Plants Observations on Acrid Poisonous Vegetables Observations on Stupefying Poisonous Vegetables Observations on Foetid Poisons Observations on Drastic Poisons Observations on Poisonous Fungi, Mushrooms, &c. NOXIOUS PLANTS. SECT. 14. Observations on Plants noxious to cattle SECT. 15. Observations on Annual Weeds, or such as grow wild and do not produce food for cattle Observations on Weeds with creeping rootsObservations on Perennial Weeds SECT. 16. Observations on Exotic Trees and Shrubs, and the soil to which each is best adapted SECT. 17. Observations on Foreign Hardy Herbaceous Plants, with the soil which each is found to thrive best in SECT. 19. Observations on Hardy Annual Flowers, with the seasons for sowing each SECT. 20. Observations on Hardy Biennial Flowers, with their culture SECT. 21. Observations on Tender Annual Flowers SECT. 22. Observations on Foreign Alpine Plants, or such as are adapted to the decoration of rock-work, with the best soils for each denoted APPENDIX. British Plants cultivated for ornamental purposes Miscellaneous Articles not mentioned under the foregoing heads On extracting Sugar from Beet-root On liquid Sugar made from Apple-juice On the Urtica canadensis, or Canadian Hemp-plant On the bleeding of Trees and obtaining Sap for the purposes of making Wine and brewing AlePLANTS USEFUL IN AGRICULTUE. OBSERVATIONS ON THE CULTURE OF GRASSES, AND ON SAVING SEEDS, &c. It is now fifty years since the celebrated Stillingfleet observed, "that it was surprising to see how long mankind had neglected to make a proper advantage of plants, of so much importance to agriculture as the Grasses, which are in all countries the principal food of cattle." The farmer, for want of distinguishing and selecting the best kinds, fills his pastures either with weeds or improper plants, when by making a right choice he would not only procure a more abundant crop from his land, but have a produce more nourishing for his flock. One would therefore naturally wonder, after this truth has been so long published, and that in an age when agriculture and the arts have so much improved, that Select Seeds of this tribe of plants are scarcely to be produced. From the experience I have had on this subject, I find their culture is attended with certain difficulties, which arise not so much from the nature of the plants, as from the labour requisite to this purpose, great attention being necessary for saving Grass-seeds at the seasons when the farmer must exert all the strength of his husbandmen to get his other business accomplished. The only mode by which this can be effected is by selecting a proper soil for the kinds intended to be saved. The seeds should be drilled into the ground at about one foot distance; and care taken that the plants are duly weeded of all other kinds that may intrude themselves, before they get too firm possession of the soil. The hoe should be frequently passed between the drills, in order both to keep the land clean and to give vigour to the young plants. The sowing may be done either in the spring or in the month of September, which will enable the crop to go to seed the following spring. In order to preserve a succession of crops, it is necessary every season to keep the ground clean all the summer months, to dig or otherwise turn up the land between the drills early in the spring, and to be particular in the other operations until the seeds ripen. Now this business being so inconvenient to the farmer, it is not to be wondered at, that, wherever attempts of this kind have been made, they should fail from want of the necessary care as above stated, without which it is needless to speculate in such an undertaking. There is nevertheless still an opportunity, for any one who would give up his land and time to the pursuit, to reap a rich and important harvest; as nothing would pay him better, or redound more to his credit, than to get our markets regularly supplied with select seeds of the best indigenous Grasses, so that a proper portion of them may be used for forming pasture and meadow-land. The above hints are not thrown out by a person who wishes to speculate in a theory which is new, but by one who has cultivated those plants himself both for seed and fodder, and who would readily wish to promote their culture by stating a mode which has proved to him a profitable pursuit, and for which he has, already, been honoured with a reward form the Society of Arts. The following observations are intended to embrace such kinds only as are likely to be cultivated, with those that are distinguished for some particular good properties; as it would be impossible within the limits of this small memorandum to enumerate all the plants that are eaten by cattle. The same mode shall be pursued under all the different heads in this department. PLANTS USEFULL IN AGRICULTURE. SECT. I.—GRASSES. 1. ANTHOXANTHUM odoratum. SWEET-SCENTED VERNAL-GRASS.—This is found frequently in all our best meadows, to which it is of great benefit. It is an early, though not the most productive grass, and is much relished by all kinds of cattle. It is highly odoriferous; if bruised it communicates its agreeable scent to the fingers, and when dry perfumes the hay. It will grow in almost any soil or situation. About three pounds of seed should be sown with other grasses for an acre of land. 2. ALOPECURUS pratensis. MEADOW FOX-TAIL-GRASS.—One of our most productive plants of this tribe: it grows best in a moist soil, is very early, being often fit for the scythe by the middle of May. About two bushels of seed will sow anacre, with a proportionate quantity of Clover; which see. 3. ALOPECURUS geniculatus. FLOTE FOX-TAIL-GRASS.—Is very good in water meadows, being nutritive, and cattle in general are fond of it. We do not know if the cultivation of this plant has as yet been attempted. 4. AGROSTIS