THE teasel is another plant which had a vital use before the industrial revolution. When woollen cloth was woven on a handloom the nap had to be combed in order to raise it. The fruit of the teasel consists of seeds protected by hook-like structures. The heads of the plant were collected and "brushed" over the cloth.

The teasel is quite a common plant, but was badly affected, like lots of others, by the over-use of herbicides. The teasel is now a welcome addition to many of our hedgerows and especially on some motorway verges.

These days we get all our materials from supermarkets and we often forget how our not so distant ancestors made use of plants obtained free from the countryside. We "townies" can enjoy many a happy hour searching out plants such as teasel and elder.