Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 151, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 June 1912 — Daffodil Polson. [ARTICLE]

Daffodil Polson.

The poison of the daffodil is the plant’s means of defense. How effective it is may be judged by the fact that rabbits, rats and other small pests which devour hyancinths and crocuses with gusto, leave the daffodil severely alone. Nurserymen, too, will tell you that the men employed in gathering Lent lilies suffer from poisoned hands. After working a little while their bands become sore, and painful gatherings form under the finger nails and whenever the skin is broken. Despite of all this, however, west country housewives brew from the flowers a decoction warranted to cure all human ills—possibly by killing the patient