Reseda

Dyers’ weed; weld; wild-wood; yellow weed. In botany, a genus of the cla do dec and ria, order trigynia. Calyx one-leafed, divided; petals jagged; capsule superior, open at top, one-celled, many-seeded. ‘Thirteen species—scattered over the globe; two indigemous to our own country. *. The following are chiefly entitled to notice: 1. R, luteola. Common weld, or dyers’ weed. Stalk a yard high, terminating in a long naked spike of yellowish-zreen flowers; leaves lans ceolate, entire, flat; calyx in four segments, Found wild amidst rubbish, and in the wastes of our own country; but much cultivated on account of its great utility in dyeing silk and wool of a yellow colour, for which see the article DvzING. It grows without trouble, on the poorest soils; and is commonly sown along with, or immedis ately after barley or oats, without farther trouble than drawing a harrow or bush over the, seeds. ‘The reaping the corn does it no injury, as it grows but little the first year; but is pulled the next summer and dried like flax. The seed or stalk, however, are often damaged by © pulling the plant too green, or letting it remain too long. 2. R. odorata. Mignonette; sweet reseda. Root composed of many streng fibres, running deeply into the ground; stems small, about a foot long, dividing into many small branches; leaves entire, three-lobed; calyx as long as the petals; styles often four; flowers produced in loose spikes terminal on the branches; corols of an herbaceous white colour and fine odour. A native of Barbary; flowers from June to winter; and is biennial. It is raised from — seeds, which should be sown on a moderate hotbed in March; and when the plants are strong enough they should be pricked out into another moderate hot-bed, They may be preserved through the winter in a green-house.