Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/207

MED <5egrade an honourable profession to a trade), the}' seldom tail to be produftive of injury : — instead of affording relief, they aggravate the complaint, and not unfrequently lay the foundation of future disease. Particular constitutions require a peculiar treatment ; and, if more attention were paid to this import- ant circumstance, there would be less occasion for emplo)'ing drugs. Besides, it ought to be considered, that no substances but such as con- tain alimeJitarif matter, are con- ducive to the welfare of the human body, in a kealthij condition : hence, by analogous rt-asoning, no drugs whatever, if devoid of nutritious properties, can be perfectly harm- less, in a diseased state. — See Ql'ackery. MEDICK, or Medicagn, 1. a genus of perennial plants, compris- ing twelve species ; the principal of which are the following : 1. The sativa. See Luckkx. 2. Thefalcata, Yellow Me- DiGK, or Butter-jags ; growing wild in sandy pastures and corn- fields j flowering in the month of July, This bushy plant, if its stalks be properly supported, attains a height of four feet • it may be ea.'iily pro- pagated by seed, in hot, dry, bar- ren, and sandy situations, v.hcre it produces excellent hay. Its cul- ture deserves to be strongly recom- mended •; as it requires but an in- different soil ; withstands the se- verity of winters better than lu- eern j and is eaten eagerly by cattle, especially by horses, though its stalks are hard and woody. 3. The luputiiiu. Trefoil Me- DiCK, or IVIelilot Trefoil ; which grows in corn-lields, mea- dows and pastures } it flowers from the month of May till August.— MED [187 This species is cultivated in the count}' of Norfolk, under the name of KQusuch, and is usually sown together with ray-grass ; whence, the crops are denominated black and white Nonsuch. — The trefoil medick thrives best in a loamy and swampy soil : — goats, cows, horses and sheep eat botli species of this plant ; though the latter is less grateful to these animals, than the former. MEDLAR-TREE, the Com.mox. or Mespilus geriiinnica, L. a native of Britain, growing in hedges, and flovering in die month of May. TJiis hardy shrub is cultivated in gardens, either for the sake of its fruit, for siandards, or as espaliers. It will thrive in any common soil, or :,ituation, and may be propa- gated either by seeds, M'hjch l.e two years under ground before they vegetate 5 or by grafting, or inoculating it on hawthorn or crab- tree stocks. — When designed for fruit-trees, they may be trained as dwarfs, for standards, or for espa- liers : in either case, they are ma- naged in a manner similar to apple or pear trees. Grafting, or budding, isthebest and most certain method of culti- vating the different sorts of the medlar, so as to continue their spe- cies : after pruning their lirst shoots from the graft, or bud, it will be necessary to force out a proper supply of wood for raising a head ; then to train the branches cliieriy at fiiil length, and to suffer the standards spontaneously to expand. Medlars po.ssess a subaeid, vi- nous flavour, which to many pa- lates is very agreeable ; though dis- liked by others : while flrni and sound, they are of a remarkab y austere and repugnant taste, which, however, is completely changed, when