Chickweed, or Alsine, L. a genus of plants, comprising five species, of which that most generally known in England is the media, or common duckweed.

It grows in almost every situation, whether damp, or even boggy woods, or the driest gravel walks in gardens. In its wild state, (his plant frequently exceeds half a yard in height, and varies so much from the garden chickweed, that it a person were acquainted only with the latter, he would with recognize it in the woods. On account of its upright flowers, blow from March to 03.0-:nay be considered as a na-tural barometer; for, if they are closed, it is a certain sign of approaching rain; while, during dry weather, they are regularly ope n, from nine o'clock in the morning till noon.

This species affords a striking instance of what is called the sleep of plants. Every night the leaves approach in pairs, so as to include, within their upper surfaces, the tender rudiments of the new shoots: and the uppermost pair, but one, at the end of the stalk, is furnished with longer leaf-stalks than the others, so that it can close upon the terminating pair, and pro-tect the end of the branch.

Swine are extremely fond of chickweed, which is also eaten by cows and horses, but is not relished by sheep, and is refused by goats. It likewise furnishes a grateful food to small birds, and young chickens : its tender shoots and leaves, when boiled, can be scarcely distinguished from early spinach, and are in every respect as wholesome. They are reputed to be refrigerating and nutritive food for persons of a consumptive habit.