Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 2, 1802).djvu/128

ioS] CUR Canham, Swaffham, and Stratton heaths, &c. Its white and pur- plish flowers blow in June and July. The late Dr. Gleditsch enumerates it among those plants, which he found useful in currying leather. 3. The Arenarlum, or Sandy- Cudweed, a native of Germany, which grows on sandy fields and banks ; and produces fine yellow flowers through the whole sum- mer. It deserves to be propagated in Britain, as the Japanese, ac- cording to Prof, Thunberg, occa- sionally prepare their vioxa from the down with which the whole plant is covered, and smoke its leaves for common tobacco. CURB, a chain of iron fastened to the lower part of the branches of the bridle, in a hole called the eye, and running over the horse's chin or beard. It consists of three parts ; namely, the hook fixed to the eye of the branch ; a chain of links 5 and two rings or mailes. — Large round curbs are the best and most easy ; but due care should be taken to fix them in their pro- per place, a little above the beard, and neither too tight nor too-slack, otherwise the bit will be of little utility. Curb, in farriery, is a hard, cal- lous swelling on the. hinder part of the hock, attended with stiffness, 2nd sometimes with lameness. It generally, arises from hard-riding, strains, blows, or kicks ; and may at first be easily cured, by three or four times blistering the animal af- fected. If the tumor continue to indurate, the most expeditious and effectual cure will be, to fire with a thia iron, drawing several deep lines down the middle from the top to tiie bottom, and then to ap- CUR ply a mild blistering plaster, which wiii certainly remove the defect. CURDLING, the coagulation of any particular fluid, such as milk. In Tuscany, it is effected lw means of artichoke flowers, in- stead of the rennet employed in Britain. There are, besides, a va- riety of substances which may be advantageously substitued for ei- ther,- especially when the whey is intended to be a cooling and antisep- tic beverage ; for instance, a small quantity of cream of tartar ; a few drops of oil of vitriol, or spirit of salt, previously diluted in a spoon- ful of water, will easily coagulate the milk ; after which it should be strained. — See Cheese. CURING, a term used for pre- serving fish, flesh, and other ani- mal substances, by adding certain ingredients, to prevent putrefaction. It is also effected by drying the bodies with the smoke of wood, or by rubbing them with salt, nitre, &c. See Beef, and Preserva- tion. Co r l in potatoes. See Potatoes. CURLEW, or Scolopax arqua- ta, L. an aquatic bird, large flocks of which visit the sea-coasts and marshes, feeding on shells, frogs, crabs, and other marine insects. — i In summer, i hey retire to the moun- tainous and unfrequented parts ot the country, where they pair and breed. Curlews differ much in weight and size, some weighing ">7 ounees, others not 22 ; the largesf seldom exceed 25 inches in length, and are generally from 3 to 4 feet broad, with their wings expanded. Their flesh is extremely rank and fishy, though some have highly commended it for its flavour and delicacy, CUR-