Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/43

A G R. mid duty, if we omitted to mention the names of those illustrious pa- triots, who hive so materially con- tributed to the scientific progress, and suceessftd practice of agricul- ture in this island. Such are, the present Duke of Bedford, Lord SoMERVICLE, Sir JoHN SlK- cluk, Dr. James Anderson, Mr. AiiTJiua Young, and especially our worthy friend and pro! Dr. Coventry, who iilis his aca- demical chair, in the university of Edinburgh, with general satisfac- tion. As this gendeman is the only public teacher of agriculture in the British empire, we shall in justice to his merits observe, that he is not merely a theoretical lecturer, but dial he takes every opportunity of enforcing his excellent precepts by practical example; for he culti- vates one of the best regulated and most productive farms in Fife- shire. For an account of the different subjects connected with agriculture, we refer the" reader to die articles, as they are classed in the order of the alphabet. AGRIMONY, Common : oxAgri- monia Eitpaioria, L. is an indige- nous plant, which grows in elevated situations, and is frequently with about hedges and roads. It is represented' in die Oth and 7th plates of Curtis's Flora Loncli- ■wnsis. p. 3J/. In a medicinal view, the leaves of this vegetable are said to be ape- rient, detergent, and. to strengthen the tone of die viscera; hence diey have been used in laxity of the in- testines, in scorbutic, and other dis- orders arising from debility. Di- gested in whey, agrimony affords a diet-drink grateful to the palate and stomach; though its leaves have AGR f'9 an herbaceous and roughish taste, accompanied with an aromatic fla- vour. The leaves and stalks, toge- ther with the closed flowers., afford a dark yellow decoction, which, when previously impregnated with a diluted solution of bismuth, imparts a beautiful and permanent gold- colour to animal wool. "We are induced to state diis fact upon die authority of M. Damboueney, who, in the year 1793, published a volume of " Facts and Experiments on genuine and permanent Colours," printed at Leipzig, in die German language. The blossoms of the common agrimony have also been occasion- ally employed by tanners, for curing soft and delicate skins. AGRIMONY, Hemp ; or Eupa- torum cannabinum, L. is likewise a 1 alive plant, and grows chiefly on the banks of rivulets, and near hedges. A representation of it m;y be seen in Sowekby's English Bonny, p. 428, plates 7 and 8. -li its sensible and medicinal pro- peries, this plant much resembles the preceding species; and its le.ies are also stated to be very eficacious in dropsy, jaundice, and sinilar disorders'. According to an account giveu by the celebrated Boeehaave, heap-agrimony is the common me- diae of die turf-diggers in Holland, forscurvies, foul ulcers, and tno.se swdings in the feet, to which they are much exposed. Although die roo of this plant be not, at present, in orrmon use, yet it is asserted to be ^powerful laxative. h dying, the leaves of diis vege- tabk especiady with die addition of logwood, and boiled with a pro- per shation of green vitriol, strike a goodilixk colour. Damjjoukney ' 2 informs