BUTTER-CUP, Butter-flower, or Upright Meadow Crow-foot, the Ranunculus acris, L.; a very common weed, abounding in meadows and pastures: it has hairy leaves, and leaf-stalks; and bears yellow flowers in June and July.
Many continental farmers attribute the sudden death of cattle, which is often inexplicable, to their feeding on this plant; and therefore carefully extirpate it from fields and meadows. To ascertain this important point, we request our rural correspondents to communicate to us the result of their experience, which we propose to publish in a future Appendix to this Encyclopædia.—It is, however, certain, that the seed-buds of the butter-cup are extremely acrid, and may therefore be employed for vesicatories, instead of the Spanish fly; though its blossoms are eagerly visited by bees. Indeed, the whole plant is very acrid, and easily blisters the skin. Nevertheless, it is eaten by sheep and goats, but refused by cows, horses, and swine, let their pasture be ever so bare.