The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-01
ALI About Chickweed.


;. anists. writes correspondent to IH
}. Philadelphia Times, is a well-know
n representative of the family of Glove
e worts, which embraces in the two grea
@ continents of the globe some clever
: hundred species of plants, all denizen
: of temperate and frigid climates
h North America includes eleven of tn
e fiftythree genera into which the orde
a is divided. ten of the number being
s found in the eastern half of the United
| States. These plants, as rule, pos
t sess few if any important properties
| anu are chiefly noticeable on account
: OF the beauty of some of the cultivated
, forms.
The genus stellaria, so called from
the stellate or star-like configuration
, its flowers. consists of small and COM
paratively insignificant herbs, closely
resembling grass. Its floral parts are
arranged in beautiful symmetry, there
being five sepals, joined at their bases;
five two-parted petals and double the
number of stamens, which surround
three, or occasionally, four somewhat
thicker thread-shaped pistils Some
writers place as many as seven species
under this head; others not so many.
AS to the claim of the subject of our
sketch to rank as distint species there
can be no question. Its fleshy,
oyate, stemless leaves and PROSTATE,
branched, round, jointed, leafy, and
brittle stems, with hairy ridges extend
ing in an alternate manner from joint
to joint, particularly distinguish it from
any of its cogeneric relations.
Row hnrhaoanuc ,1optc oro ,,,o,o
hardy, have wider range of diffusion
upon this continent or can endure
! greater vicissitudes of climate. 1t ex-
tends from Mexico across the United
States into the Canadas ands has even
been found along with the dandelion,
disputing with the stunted willows,
birches and pines of the north for mas
terry. On the bleak and dismal shores
OF Greenland, inIhe latitude of 80 de-
grees, 16 minutes, Emil Bessels, the
naturalist of the Polaris, found it grac-
ing in its modest simplicity some quiet,
sheltered nook amidthe boundless and
almost unbroken regions of perpetual
snow.
A child of the north originally, come
down to us during the glacial epoch,
perhaps, like many others, it has re-
NAMED behind the retreating ice fields
and little by little has accustomed itself
to mllder ATTITUDES. But it has never
entirely dotted its rugged nature. While
apparently more vigorous plants, upon
The first appearance of frost, hang their
heads and droop and finally succumb
to the power of the silent agent, diff |
ferent story would be told to the credit
OF the chickweed. During the winter
that has just ended it was our good
fortune to encounter daily few large
patches of this weed, growing under
the sheltering branches of several dense
cedars and along public highway in
one of the SUBURBAN villages of Phila-
delphia. Often the ground would be
as hard as rock, but, so far as we could
see, the plants never seemed to be any
the worse for their rough reception.
Whatever injuries they received were
speedily righted by the caressing in
fluence of the midday sun, and the
plants would once more put on their
customary look of vigor and cheerful
ness. AS early as the middle of Feb
ruary, Notwithstanding the severity of ;;
the prevailing weather, these patches ;
were one mass of bloom. Upon close :
examination, by the aid of powerful !
pocket lens, the small white flowers :
we're as perfect in their structure as /,
my we have met with in the genial
month of May. From the time of their :
lrst appearance to the present moment ,
hey have never ceased to delight us !
With their presence, and this they will .
doubtless continue to do, with but few
intervals of repose, until December
hall have returned in the course of the ?
evolving seasons. Certain conditions,
UGH as shade, moisture, and a rich, =
Danny soil, must naturally co-exist if
We are to experience such profuse and y
ersistent towering
Besides the use that is made of the =
eeds and heritage of the plant by h
irds and poultry in feeding, mankind, =
hough not generally, has found it eff h
acious in the treatment of many of the y
Is that afflict the body. Though not !,
liicially recommended by our phar- i
lacopeias, yet many intelligent ply :,
cians who scorn to be bound in all
asses by the dicta of the profession use =
in their practice. In rural districts, ="
here there is shown less disposition "
} consult the medical man than in >
ties and towns, it is greatly in de- :,
land by housewives. AS a cooling de- ~ ~
ulcent it is invaluable. The fresh :"
aves, when bruised and applied as a % q,
oultice to indolent and intractible ul- g.
'rs, even when of long standing, pro- f,
lce immediate and decided beneficial ~
suits, but should be changed as often ~ r.
! three times day. They are like 81
Use of great service in acute ophthal- ~ ~
ia. An ointment made by nacerat- o.
g the recent leaves in lard will be ",
und very desira Die cooling applica- Wv
IN to eryesipelatous and other ulcer
ions, as well as in many forms of pr
taneous affections. ae
ar
The Mahdi Scholar. ~ ~,