Arsmart, or lakeweed, is a bitter plant, well known; ’tis said to produce an essential oil, or oil extracted by distillation, which I should imagine more likely to affect the bitterness of Milk than colder plants, it is apt to grow very strong after being mowed, and I have not observed that Cows refuse or leave it untouched more than other plants in common. I think this plant much more likely to cause the bitterness of Butter in Autumn than the falling leaves to which it is generally referred, though many people are of opinion that Cows eating ash leaves in Autumn, causes the bitterness in Butter.
Meadow sweet—is a bitterish plant that Cows are fond of, especially the sort that grows on up-lands, commonly called drop-wort, the meadow sweet of low-meadows is a sort they do not readily feed on where there is plenty of Grass.
Centaury, lesser centaury or gentian, is an extream bitter plant, bears a pale red blossom with many florets, or pips, on an upright stem in old Pastures, blows from June to August, I should imagine it must be hurtful in Dairy-ground being a very penetrating bitter.
Hemlock, with stems and branches, spotted with brown, or black, and white flower; the whole plant is poisonous, it grows in hedges, orchards, or among rubbish, and is very common.
Henbane, with blossoms purple & brown—indented leaves, embracing or cleaving to the stem, grows on road sides or among rubbish, the seeds, roots, and leaves taken internally are all poisonous.
Nightshade, grows in moist brakes and hedges, with bluish blossoms, sometimes inclined to flesh colour, sometimes white.
Deadly nightshade—dwale—or belladonna is the worst specie, growing in woods, hedges, among lime-stone or rubbish; the stem is herbaceous or of a herby nature, the leaves, spear, or halbert shaped, the flowers of a bluish purple with a bright yellow thrum, chives, or pointal, appearing like the snuff of an expiring Candle, the berries grow in very handsome bunches, first green, then a fine red, next a beautiful black, are very tempting to Children having cost many their Lives, causing stupor, delirium, and convulsions, and are certain Death if not prevented by timely and plentiful vomiting; this plant cannot be too well known being so very common in most Countries, and so tempting, both to Children and Cattle.
Cow-bane, water-virosa, or water-hemlock—with rundles or flower branches opposite the leaves, leaf-stalks with blunt borders, with about seven pair of little leaves, which are variously divided and indented, petals, or leaf of the flower, yellowish pale green, grows in shallow waters, is a perennial plant, or that continues from year to year, blows in July; this is one of the rankest of our vegetable poisons; numerous instances are recorded of its Fatality to the human species; an account of it may be seen and an engraving in Martin’s Philosophical Transactions, Vol. 10. Early in the spring when it grows in the water, Cows often eat it and are killed by it, but as the Summer advances and its smell becomes stronger, they carefully avoid it; though a certain fatal poison to Cows, Goats devour it greedily and with impunity, Horses and Sheep eat it with safety.
Cow-weed, or wild Cecily, grows in hedges, blows in May, or June, with white flowers, roots like a Parsnip, and is very poisonous.
Water-wort, Water-hemlock, or Water-skeleton, is esteem’d a fatal poison to Horses, occasioning them to become paralytick, which is owing to an insect called Curcutia Paraplecticus, which generally inhabits within the stem; the usual antidote is pig’s dung, the branches of the leaves stradling—stem very thick, hollow, scored, petals or flowers white, grows in rivers, ditches and pools, blossoms in June; in the Winter the roots and stem dissected by the influence of the weather, afford a curious skeleton, or network.