Posted by Ian E-N on June 30, 2004 at 08:51:21 from 148.88.0.10 user IanEN.
In Reply to: Re: Disgusting fishing questions posted by Andrew Craig-Bennett on June 30, 2004 at 06:26:46:
threading a lot of worms onto a hook to make something like a cowslip ball
or onto a string :-
"Then I could go babbing for eels. We threaded lug worm onto wosted or
shoe makers’ hemp to form a necklace, then tied it in a bunch with a
suitable lead weight. The eels would get their teeth caught. When you felt
a tug, with a gentle lift, you could drop them in the boat. "
[ Stour & Orwell Estuaries ]
"Children delight in making Cowslip Balls, or 'tosties,' from the flowers.
The umbels are picked off close to the top of the main
flowerstalk and about fifty to sixty are hung across a string which may be
stretched for convenience between the backs of two chairs. The flowers are
then pressed carefully together and the string tied tightly so as to
collect them into a ball. Care must be taken to choose only such heads or
umbels in which all the flowers are open, as otherwise the surface of the ball will be uneven. "
[ A Modern Herbal Cowslip - Herb Profile and Information ]