The foregoing lists of poisonous plants are most of them of less
dangerous tendency to cattle than to the human species: for although
many of them may be mistaken for wholesome, yet, when they are growing
wild, it will be observed, that the discriminating powers of the brute
creation in this point are so correct, that very few have been known to
be eaten by them.
The following are a few of a different class, which, as not containing
any thing particularly disagreeable to the taste of cattle, are
frequently eaten by them to their injury.
The agricultural student should make himself perfectly acquainted with
those.
652. CICUTA virosa. COWBANE.--Linnaeus observes, that cattle have died in
consequence of eating the roots. It is fortunate that this plant is not
very plentiful: it is poisonous to all kinds of cattle except goats. The
flower of this plant is not unlike that of water-parsneps, which cows at
some seasons will eat great quantities of.
653. BEAR'S GARLICK. Allium ursinum.
654. CROW GARLICK. Allium vineale.
These plants very frequently occur in meadow-land, and have property of
giving a strong garlick flavour to the milk yielded by cows that feed
there; and which is often also communicated to the butter.
655. DARNELL GRASS. Lolium temulentum.--This grass has the faculty of
causing poultry or birds to become intoxicated, and so much so that it
causes their death.
656. LOUSEWORT. Pedicularis palustris.--This plant, which abounds in wet
meadows, is said to produce a lousy disease in cows if they eat of it.
657. MAYWEED. Anthemis cotula.--This is altogether of such an acrid
nature, that the hands of persons employed in weeding crops and reaping,
are often so blistered and corroded as to prevent their working. It also
has been known to blister the mouths and nostrils of cattle when feeding
where it grows.
658. COLCHICUM autumnale. MEADOW-SAFFRON.--This is a common plant in
pasture-land in Worcestershire, Herefordshire, and other counties. Many
are the instances that have occurred of the bad effects of it to cattle.
I have this last autumn known several cows that died in consequence of
eating this plant.
659. MELILOT. Trifolium officinale.--This plant when eaten by cows
communicates a disagreeable taste to milk and butter.
660. ROUND-LEAVED SUN-DEW. Drosera rotundifolia.--Very common on marshy
commons, and is said to be poisonous to sheep, and to give them the
disease called the rot.
661. SEA BARLEY-GRASS. Hordeum maritimum.--This grass has been known in
the Isle of Thanet and other places to produce a disease in the mouths
of horses, by the panicles of the grass penetrating the skin.
662. WATER-HEMLOCK. Phellandrium aquaticum.--Linnaeus informs us that the
horses in Sweden by eating of this plant are seized with a kind of
palsy, which he supposes is brought upon them, not so much by any
noxious qualities in the plant itself, as by a certain insect which
breeds in the stalks, called by him for that reason Curculio
paraplecticus [Syst. Nat. 510]. The Swedes give swine's dung for the
cure.
663. YEW. Taxus baccata.--This is poisonous to cattle: farmers and other
persons should be careful of this being thrown where sheep or cattle
feed in snowy weather. It is particularly dangerous to deer, for they
will eat of it with avidity when it comes in their way.
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