Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 2, 1802).djvu/172

152] made of hog's lard and sulphur, with which a part of the back of the animal should be rubbed every day, and the application gradually extended, till the whole back, from head to tail, and at length all the affected parts, have been anointed. Thus, the requisite portion of sulphur, which is a specific in those cases, will be introduced into the system, both by absorption, and the constant licking of the diseased creature.

7. Madness. See.  . See.  DOG-FLY, or Cynomia, L. a genus of insects common in woods, and among bushes: they are particularly troublesome to dogs, and usually seize upon their ears; it is believed, that they can be prevented only by being killed.

These vermin sting very severely, and always raise a blister in the part they touch. They have no trunk, but are provided with two teeth similar to those of wasps, and on the whole, resemble the large fat black fly, which peculiarly molests cattle. Although we possess no evidence of experience, yet it may be rationally supposed, that anointing the neck and ears of animals, especially those of dogs, in very hot seasons, either with the juices or decoctions of bitter and resinous plants, would afford a good preventive. For this purpose, we would recommend the tops of the fir-tree, the leaves of the walnut and chesnut trees, those of the various species of, &c.  DOG's-GRASS, or, or Couch-wheat, Triticum repens, L. is an indigenous, perennial plant, which grows on arable lands: it is also frequently found near the sea-coast, and continues in flower from June to September.

This is an extremely troublesome weed, as every joint of its fibres will grow; and so very luxuriant is its vegetation, that a single small joint, when transplanted, has been found to cover a superficial square yard of land, in twelve months.—Various remedies have been tried to eradicate it; but the most successful is that of laying the land fallow, in a dry summer; and frequently harrowing it to draw out the roots: where this is carefully practised, the soil may be so completely cleared of them, in one summer, that the remaining roots will not materially injure the future crop. A still more effectual mode of extirpating them, is to sow on such land, only those vegetables which require the horse-hoeing culture; for, where the soil can be frequently stirred, or harrowed, that operation will considerably tend to clear it from the roots of this grass, and also of many other noxious weeds.

At Naples, the roots of the couch-grass are collecfed in large quantities, and sold in the market, as food for horses. They have also been successfully tried in Britain, for the same purpose; and may be safely substituted for oats; as horses prefer them to the latter. They possess a sweet taste, somewhat similar to that of liquorice; and, when dried and ground to meal, have in times of scarcity been converted into bread.—Cows, goats, and sheep, eat the leaves, which are also occasionally swallowed by dogs, instinctively to excite vomiting, and to cool their hot blood.

Decoctions of the roots of couch-grass are used in medicine, and reputed to be aperient, diuretic, and