WATER-GLADIOLE, or Cardinal Flower, Lobelia Dortmanna, L. is an indigenous perennial, growing in mountainous lakes, especially in Cumberland, Westmoreland, Wales, and Scotland; where its beautiful pale, blue flowers appear in the months of July and August.—The whole of this plant, which grows beneath the surface of the water, abounds with a milky juice. It may be easily propagated by seeds, by offsets, or by cutting; and, vegetating with great luxuriance, it deserves to be raised in moist or marshy situations.
Water-hemlock. See Hemlock, the Water.
Water-hemp. SeeAgrimony, the Hemp.
Water-lily. See Lily, the Water.
Water-moss. See Moss.
Water-parsnep. See Parsnep, the Water.
WATER-PEPPER, Lakeweed, or Biting Snakeweed, Polygonum hydropiper, L. an indigenous plant, growing on the sides of rivulets, lakes, and ditches; flowering from July to September.—The whole of this vegetable possesses a very acrid taste: its fresh leaves have, nevertheless, with advantage been applied externally, for cleansing old fistulous ulcers, and consuming fungous flesh. An infusion of these leaves is said to promote the urinary discharge in phlegmatic habits; and has frequently been of service in scorbutic complaints. When mixed with soft soap, the ashes of the lake-weed are used, as a nostrum, for dissolving the stone in the bladder.—According to Dr. Withering, the acrimony of this herb rises on distillation; and 2 or 3 half pints of the water, drunk daily, have been found very effectual in some nephritic cases. It imparts a yellow colour to wool. The Water-Pepper is refused by every species of cattle.—See also Blister.
WATER-PROOF, a term applied to those stuffs, which have undergone certain chemical or mechanical processes, and thus become impermeable to moisture.
Having already stated, under the heads of Boot and Leather, the most proper means of rendering those articles water-proof, we shall at present confine our attention to the expedients that have been devised for making linen and woollen cloth, paper, &c. capable of resisting humidity.
In July, 1797, a patent was granted to Mr. Henry Johnson, for his invention of a vegetable liquid, the design of which is to bleach and cleanse woollen, or other stuffs; to prepare them for the reception of a certain compound, calculated to render them not only water-proof, but also more durable and elastic, when manufactured into articles of dress, which he terms Hydrolaines.—In order to obtain first the vegetable liquid, the patentee directs horse-chesnuts, or the rinds and kernels of oranges, that are usually thrown away, or the offals and gall of fish, to be boiled for four or five hours; after which they are suffered to cool and settle, for a few days: in cases where these substances cannot be easily procured, 8 quarts of water may be added to every pound of British barilla, and the mixture allowed to dissolve for two or three days. Next, one pint of pear-ashes, or of purified kelp, or wood-ashes, must be added to either of these preparations; and, after the
