Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, first edition - Volume I, A-B.pdf/750

 ANY. Lichen vellcus, or fleecy liver-wbrf, grows upon hiuV. In time of famine, the inhabitants ufed this plant for food. Fungus, or mufhroom. The fpecies of this plant are very numerous. Some of them ate ufed by the rich, rarher as a feafoning, than as food. When taken in tob great quantity, they are abfolutely indigeflible ; and, un.lefs thrown up from the ftomaeh, will prove as fatal as the moll: deadly poifon. The poor, therefqre, who would be very apt to fall into this error, had better refrain from the ufe of mufnrcoms altogether. From this fhoi t lifl of efculent plants 'that grow wild in our own country, we fee how libeiaily we are provided with refources in cafe of a fcareity of the vegetables ufually cultivated for food, and at the fame time the advantages that might be derived from a very flight degree of knowledge in botany. Many of thefe plants grow beft in foils which cannot be employed for railing corn of any kind. Befides, they are exceedingly hardy, and fuffer but little from feafons, which in a gieat meafure deflroy the more delicate plants which we cultivate with fa much labour and expence. It may be further remarked, that many improvements in agriculture and the ufeful part of gardening might be expeffed from propagating a tafle for refearches into the nature and properties of vegetables.. 2. Medicine.—It is an unhappy circumflance, that the bulk of phyficians in all age&have been more remark able for their attachment to, the abftrufe and ufelefs parts of the fcience, than to the nature and cure of difeafes, the proper objects of their profeflion. Inftead of difputing in folio how fuch a plant cures fuch a difeafe, had they exerted their induftry and genius in afeertaining the fa£t, and then proceeded to make further inquiries into the qualities of other fimples, the praflice of phyfic would not have been a thing of fuch a flu&uating nature as it ever has been, and ftill continues to. be. Many praditioners, fome of them men of confiderable abilities, affed to defpife the fcicnce of botany, alledging that it affords no afirftance to their art; and that it is very ufclefs to load their memories with a long catalogue of hard names, without being a whit th.e wifer with regard to the medical properties. Befides, they imagine every fingle genus and fpecie.s of the whole vegetable tribes to be poffeffed of peculiar and diftind properties ; and that it would require the labour of a whole life time to afeertain the virtues of a few plants. It muff indeed be confefled, that the writers and teachers of botany have not been fufficiently careful to prevent refledions of this kind. The technical part of the fcience ingroffes their chief attention: If the virtues are talked ©f, it is only in a curfory manner: The only thing that can render the fcience refpedable, is either totally omitted in their fyftems, or difpatched in a line or two. But we are happy to find, that the fcieace, begins now to get fome footing in this country. By the induftry and fpirit of a. worthy Profeffor *, the tafte has been propagated Dr John Hope profelfor of medicine and botany in the univerflty of Edinburgh. Immediately after the Dodor’s ad.wiiiTion to the botanical chair,, he offered gold and filver medals to his {Indents for the bed colledions of indigenous plants

6%o BO T Orobus tuberofus, wood-peafe, or heath-peafe, grows in pafluie-ground, woods, hedges, &c. The roots, when boiled, or made into bread, a (Ford excellent nourifliment. Pifum maritimum, or fea-peafe. In the year 1655, when a great famine prevailed in England, the poor people in Oxfordfliird lived principally upon the feeds of this plant. Trifolium repens, or white clover, grows in meadows and pallure-grounds. The flowers of this plant, when dried, make tolerably good bread. . Trifolium pratenfe, purple or honeyfuckle clover. The Scotch, when opprefled with a famine, ufed bread made of the flowers of this plant. And indeed bread may be made of the flowers of every plant belonging to the clafs called diadeiphia, which comprehends near 600 fpecies. ,. Hipochrasfis maculata, or fpotted hawkweed, grows on high pallure-grounds. The peafants of Norway ufe the leaves as cabbage. Sonchus oleraceus, or common fow-thiftle. The young leaves eat exceedingly well when boiled. Tragopodon pratenfe, or yellow goat’s-beard, grows in meadows And pallure-grounds. The roots, when dug up before the plant flowers, have a fine flavour, and are very nourilhing. Arctium lappa, or burdock. The young flalks, when the bark is taken off, eat, when boiled, like afparagus. -Some people ufe them in a crude Hate, with oil and vinegar. Carduus paluftris, or marfh-thiflle. Almofl all the fpecies of ihiftle may be ufed in the fame manner as the burdock. Urtica dioica, or common nettle. The ufe of this plant as a pot-herb is well known. Quercus robur, or common oak. Acorns, during a famine, have often been made into bread. Fagus fylvatica, or beach tree. Bread has fometimes been made of the nuts; but uniefs they be well dried, the bread made of them will produce a flight degree of intoxication. Gorylus avelhma, Or the hafel-nut tree. Every body knows the agreeable flavour and nutritive quality of hafel nuts. Einus fylvefiris, or Scots fir. The Norwegians and others make bread of this tree in the following manner: They feledt fuch trunks as are moft fmooth and have Leaft refin; they take off the bark, then dry it in the {hade, and afterwards toaft it over a fire, and grind it into meal. They generally mix with it a little oat-meal, or barley. This bread, made of fir-bark, is not only ufed in. a fearcity of provifions, but is eat at all times by the poorer fort. Lichen iflandicus, or eryngo-leaved liver wort, grows among heath and upon high grounds. The inhabitants of Iceland have long ufed this plant, both boiled^ and in the form of bread.