Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/232

206&#93; 206] THI 1. The marianus. See Milk- thistle. 2. The lanceolatus, or Spear- THisTLR, grows OH rubbisb, and road-si<les, where it flowers in the months of Jiily ami August. — Ac- cording to Dr. WiTHKRiNG, this species vegetates on ground newly turned up, where no other weed will thrive: under the shelter it affords, new plants will speedily appear, and the whole become fer- tihe. Its flowers, like those of the artichoke, possess the property of curdling milk. It is not relished by horses, cows, or goats j and is totally refused by sheep and swine. 3. Tlie acaulis, or Dwarf- thistle, thrives in mountainous and rocky, dry pastures ; flower- ing in* the month of July.— This species is perennial, and should be carefully extirpated ; as it is exceedingly destru(5tive to the her- bage growing beneath its shade. It is wholly reje6ted by cows. 4. The BenediSfus, or Blessed Thistle, is an annual exotic, cul- tivated in gardens : it flowers in the months of June and July, and produces ripe seeds in autumn. — • Its leaves possess a penetrating bitter taste, and have an ungrate- ful flavour which, by keeping thera for some time, is mostly dissi- pated. A decodion of this nause- ous plant is sometimes used to ex- cite vonjiting; and likewise a strong" iufusion, to promote the o{)eration of other emetics. Good effeds have occasionally been de- rived from the Blessed Thistle, in lf»ssof appetite ; or where the sto- mach was impaired by irregularities. A strong infusion, either in cold or warm water, drunk freely, occa- sions a copious perspiration, and promotes the secretious. THI All the species of this neglefted vegetable, may be usefuljy em- ployed for various purposes : thus, the seed-crowns of the thistle af- ford both a valuable material for manufaduring Paper, and a kind of strong cloth ; the ashes obtained by burning the whole pJant, are of great service in glass-houses ; and the young, tender, mealy stalk* maybe dressed, and eaten, as sub- stitutes for asparagiis. THISTLE, the Cotton, Com- mon Argentine, or Woolly Onopordum, Onopordon Acan- thium, L. a native biennial, grow- ing to the height of 6 feet, on rub- bish, and road-sides, where it flow- ers in July. This vegetable is re-* fused by cows, horses, and sheep : — its expressed juice, was among the ancients reputed to be a spe- cific in cancerous cases : — the re- ceptacles or bases of the flower- cups, together with the stems, may be boiled and eaten like nrlichokes. —The woolly substance enveloping the seed, is equally useful in the raanufadure of cloth and Paper, (see vol. iii. p. 335). — ^The seeds of this remarkable plant also pro- mise great advantages to the indus- trious husbandman : we learn from DuRANDE, a French writer, in the Bibliolheque Physico-econnmique, vol. ii. p. 122, that he collected a number of the seed-crowns, weigh- ing 22 lbs. } from which he obtain- ed 12 lbs. weight of seed ; and, on expression, 3 lbs. of excellent lamp- oil, greatly superior to that of lin- seed, and equal to olive-oil. Thistle, the Sow. See Sow- Thistle. THORN-APPLE.theCoMMON, or Datura Stramonium, L. origi- nally a native of America, but now indigenous in some parts of Bri- taii^