Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/265

MUL §' 2, the sum of 6s. 15 made pay- able for every viule, horse, mare, or gelding, kept by any person, and not charged with any other duty. Exceptions, however, are made in {cwonv o( post-horses, and others, which being uncounetiled with domestic economy, we for- bear to specify. Mule, a term which denotes any produ6tion, whether of the animal, or vegetable creation, that origi nates from two d i fferen t s pecies . Thus, beside the animals pro- perly denominated mules, it ap- pears, that the different breeds of sheep may be advantageously cro.w- ed. — Li NN^us observes, that the breed from Sivedish cvn'cs and Spa- nish rams, resembled the Spanish sheep in wool, stature, and exter- nal appearance 5 but was, in a!l rcspefts, as hardy as the Swedish sheep : the contrary effect resulted from Swedish rams and Spanish ewes. He farther remarks, that »n English ram without horns, and a Swedish horned ewe, produced sheep destitute of that ornament. These fafts are equally curious and valuable : they require no com- mentary, t6 recommend them to the attention of breeders in general. The vegetable mules are very numerous 3 and, by scattering the farina, or fecundating dust, over female flowers, several excellent varieties have often been obtained. —Thus, in the first volume of the Letters and Papers of the Bath and West of England Socieiju we meet with an interesting account of a mule-cabbage, which is said to fatten cattle six weeks earlier than turnips. The correspondent states, that the sort of cabhagr principally raised, is the Tallow-loaf or Drum- he.aded Cabbage ; which being too tender to withstand the severity of MUL [245 of the frost, he planted some of this species and of the common Purple Cabbage for pickling, alternately : wlien the seed-pods were perfectly formed, he cut down the purple, and left the other for seed. The result completely answered liis ex- pecfatioris} namely, the produce was a mixed stock, of a deep <'-reen colour, with purple veins j"^ and which retained the size of the drum-head, while it acquired all the hardiness of the purple. This is one of the most successful experi-* ments with respecrf to vegetable improvements : and, without quot- ing other instances, related in the subsequent volumes of the same valuable coUecL^ion, as well as in other works, we trust these few ft(^ts sufficiently evince the pradi- cability of the plan ; and hope they will not be disregarded 3 because such attempts not only lend to en- rich our practical knowledge, but at the same time afford additional proofs of the wisdom, andbeautiesj of the creation. MULLEIN, or Verbascum, L. a genus of plants, comprising 17 species, five of which arc indigen- "^ ous : the principal of these are : 1. The Thapsiis, GreatWhits Mullein, High Taper, Cow's- LUNGwoRT, or Laeies' Fox- glove j growing on chalky and gravelly soils, and on dry ditch- baiiks ; flowering in the month of July. — HocHHEiMER informs U3 that the roots, stalks, and flowers of this plant, after being properly cleaned of the adhering earth, and other Impurilles, have long been used in German granaries, where bundles of it are placed in every corner, and on the g^ain itself, in order to prevent the depredations ot mice. It affords so complete a securit)' from these yermin^ evca ■R 2 . xa