Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 3, 1802).djvu/266

244] M U L in barns, that they suddenly dis- appear, and shun the place tor se- veral years after this vegetable has been deposited. — According to Bechstein', the root of the Great ^Mullein, reduced to powder, and mixed with malt- meal, speedily fattens capons and chickens. — The herb, in a dry and pulverized state, corrodes the fungous flesh of ul- cers 5 and, if applied while fresh, heah the wounds in the foot of a horse, occasioned by improper shoeing. — ^The flower of this, and the following species of the Mul- lein, impart a delicate, though not durable, yellow-colour, to wool and cotton 5 but, on the addition of blue, these stuffs acquire a blue shade of incomparable lustre. — ■ The woody stalks covered with pitch, make excellent flambeaus. — The seeds, when thrown into wa- ter inhabited by fish, produce an intoxicating eftld, so that these creatures sufter themselves to be caught by the hand. — In Norway, the farmers give the herb medicin- ally to their cows, when threatened ■with consumption ■. and employ its downy fibres as a substitute for tinder. — Neithercows, goats, sheep, horses, nor swine, will eat this ve- getable. 2. The jiip-mn, Dakk, or Black MulleiNj which grows m hedges, and on road-sides ; is perennial j and flowers from July to September. — ^This plant is justly admired for its beauty ; the stem i.s covered with hairs elegantly branched, and has yellow blossoms lipped with purple : — Bees visit its flowers, which to them are exceed- ingly grateful. — Swine eat the plant ; but it is neither relished by fchcep, nor touched by cows, horses or goats. MULLET, or Mu^ll, L. a ge- MUL nus of fishes, consisting of two species, principally distinguished by the number of rays in the back- fin. — Botii frequent the sandy coasts of this island, and particu- larly small bays that admit influ.xes of fresh water. Hit her they resort in considerable shoals ; and, simi- lar to hogs, grub in the sand or mud, leaving their traces in the form of large round holes. Mullets are extremely cunning : when surrounded with a net, the , whole shoal frequently escapes by leaping over it ; for, if one take the lead, the others iuatinftively fol- low : but, if they fail to efle6t their object, they remain motionless ia the water, as if resigned to their fate. In the South of France, abund- ance of these flsh are taktn ia shallow waters, by means of ivtirs constructed with reeds. From the milts of the males, called alletants, and the roes of the females, deno- minated iotar, the inhabitants pre- pare a kind of food, called lotargo. These parts are taken out entire, covered for four or Ave hours with salt, then pressed between two board? or stones, afterwards wash- ed, and, lastly, dried in the sun for about a fortnight. As an article of food, the mullet aftbrds a tolerable dish, being more tender than the haddock, and less juicy than the carp : it is not, how- ever, so delicious as the ancient Roman mullet, which appears to have been a difl'erent species. MUM, a kind of malt-liquor which is in great request on the Continent, whence considerable quantities are imported. It is pre* pared in the following complicated manner : Seven bushels of wheaten- malt, one bushel of oatmeal, and a similar portion of ground b^ans, are