Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/194

174] MAR MARTIN, or Hirmulo iirUca, L. a well known bird of passage, which makes its annual appearance in Britain, from the beginning of April to the middle of May, ac- cording to the state of the wea- ther. — See Swallow. MARTIN, the Common, or Mustela foina, L. an animal of prey, which inhabits Britain, Ger- many, France, and the South of Europe. It is a most elegant and live'ly quadruped, its motions being exceedingly nimble. The female breeds in hollow trees, and pro- duces, while young, three or four ; but, when several years old, fre- «]uently six or seven martins at a litter J which, in winter, have sometimes been found deposited in the nests of magpies. These animals are very destruc- tive to poultry, eggs, &:c. in farm- yards. With a view to obta.n access to pigeon-houses, or hen- roosts, they climb rough walls M'ith facility. As they are re- markably fond of honey and hemp- seed, they might be thus easily en- trapped : — their skin and excre- ments emit a musky odour. jMarlins are tamed with great difnculty, never torming any at- tachment, so that they must al- ways be chained. Nevertheless^ if properly secured, they are very useful in farm-yards, for destroy- ing rats, mice, &;c. We are not acquainted with a better mediod of exterminating these depredators, tliaa by smo- therir.g them in their recesses with the smoke of sulphur. The skins of the Russian mar- tins, furnish a beautiful fur : when imported, they pay a duty of 3l. and dd. per tinder of 40 skins: the sum of 12s. Ifd. is also pay- able ior evei-y 120 tails parsing MAS through the custom-house, in a rav/ or undressed state. MARYGOLD, theTRiFioBuR, TrifidDouele-tooth, Water* HEMP, or Hemp-agrimony ; Bi- dens tripartita, L. an indigenous annual plant, growing in marshy and water}- places, and flowering in the months of August and Sep- tember. — DAMBouRNEvand other writers inform us, that both the fresh and dried herb imparts to wool, with the addition of alum, a very bright yellow colour : the yarn or cloth, however, should be washed and dried before it is im- mersed in the dyeing liquor, in which it ought to be boiled for two hours ; and, in order to extract more efitilStiially the colouring par- ticles, the plant must be cut in small pieces, put in the vessel, in alternate layers w ith the substances to be tinged, raid properly agitated. There is another species, namely, the Bidens cerniia-, or Nodding ]Marygold, which is possessed of similar properries. Marygold the Corn. Sec Great White Ox-eye. MASH, a drink given to horses. — It is prepared by infusing half a peck of ground malt in a sufficient quantity of boiling water, then agitating the liquor, till it acquires a sweet taste, and when lukewarm, administering it to the animal. This preparation is used general- ly alter a purge, in order to pro^ mote its operation ; and, after hard work J or, as a substitute for drink, when a horse labours under de- pressing sickness. MASTEKWORT, the Com- mon, or hnperatoria Oslrut/iiitm, L. is an indigenous, perennial plant grovv'ing in damp meadows, and flowering in the month of June, it is cultivated in gardens, ou