Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/135

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LI V on which account its leaves, when pulverized, form the basis of seve- ral perfumed powders : they also communicate a red colour to yarn. 7> The caperatus, or Wrinkled Liverwort, which abounds on the surface of rocks, stones, trees, and f>ales 3 it also flowers throughout the year. In Ireland, and the northern parts of the Isle of Man, it is employed fur dyein? wool of an orange colour. It serge be pre- viously infused, and boiled in urine, or steeped in a solution of green vitriol, and then dyed with this plant, it will assume a fine russet- brown tinge ; but, if it be simply immersed in a decoction of the wrinkled liverwort, the stutF will acquire a lemon shade. 8. The jiustulatus, or Spotted Liverwort, which is found on rocks in Wales, and the northern parts of Britain ; it flowers during the whole year. According to Lin- N,Eus, a beautiful red colour may be prepared from this species ; and Dr. Withering states, that it may be converted into an excellent black pigment, p. The calicans, or Beaked Li- verwort, grows sometimes upon trees, but more frecjuently on rocks, near the sea-coast. It is smooth, glossy, and ^ aitish, producing flat or convex shields, very near the summits of the segments, which aie acute and rigid ; and, being of- ten refleAed by the growth of the shields, appear under their limbs like a curved beak. — Tiiis plant yields a line red colour; and, in this respctt, promises to become a bubstitute for the famous Liclien Roccella (see Oechal), which is imported from the Canary Islands, and sometimes sold at the price of 80l. per ton.' — Botli the present and

iie preceding spccjes (JLidien pus'

LIV [1^7 tulatus), were formerly employed instead of starch, in the manufac- ture of hair-powder. 10, The apluhosus, or Green Ground-Liverwort; it grows on moist rocks, in shady, stony, and mossy places, and, like most of the preceding species, is in flower from January to December. — An infu- sion of this plant is made in milk, and given by the country people to children affeded with the thrush. — • A decoction of it, in large doses, operates powerfully both as a pur- gative and as an emetic ; it is said to be a good vermifuge. 1 1 . The Islandicus, or Esculent Iceland Liverwort, abounds not only in the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland, but is also found in some of the more northern parts of England and Wales. — ^Ti:e inhabi- tants of Iceland boil this beneficial plant in several waters, then dry, and make it into bread. They like- Avise prepare from it a kind of gruel, which is mixed with milk ; but the first decoetion is never used ; as it is strongly purgative, A jelly, or thick mucilage, made of the Ice- land Liverwort, is recommended by Haller and Scopoli, as an excellent domestic remedy in con- sumptions. — In Germany, a very durable brown dye is obtained by first boiling linen yarn, for one hour, in a solution of alum and cre.im of tartar _; then addi;)g to this liquor" the dried Iceland Liverwort, and suffering it to boil for half an hour at the least, when the yarn is again to be immersed for a quarter of an hour or knger, stirring it properly, and afterwarJs plunging it in a weak, cold solution of copi)eras or vitriol of iron,— But the Iceland Lichen also imparts a very ^cellent black to white woollen yarn, by pfeviously boiling it for one hour in I Jt a liquor