Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:
:: The message
:: from Kay contains these words:
::: In article , Chris Bacon
::: writes
::
:::: I saw a remarkable patch at the roadside last year, with very
:::: large stems - probably around 2' (600mm) long. Are there several
:::: sorts of horse tail, or was this just ordinary stuff doing
:::: rather better than the 1' stems I normally see? I'm keeping an
:::: eye on it to see what happens this year, and it certainly seems
:::: to be doing well again!
::
::
::: There's several species of horsetail which grow in the UK. But it
::: might still just have been some more vigorous stems of the usual
::: stuff.
::
:: Horsetails have only one use that I know of - in an area where
:: there are gold salts in the soil, they will take them up, and if
:: you burn large quantities of them, the gold can be worth
:: recovering.
::

That's not their only use, they are anodyne, antihaemorrhagic, antiseptic,
astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, galactogogue, haemostatic
and vulnerary.
It helps speed the repair of damaged connective tissue, improving its
strength and elasticity.
The plant is a useful diuretic when taken internally and is used in the
treatment of kidney and bladder problems, cystitis, urethritis, prostate
disease and internal bleeding.
The stems contain 10% silica and are used for scouring metal and as a fine
sandpaper. They can also be used as a polish for brass, hardwood etc. The
infused stem is an effective fungicide against mildew, mint rust and
blackspot on roses.
A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh plant. It is used in the
treatment of cystitis and other complaints of the urinary system, it also
contains equisetic acid, which is thought to be identical to aconitic acid.
This substance is a potent heart and nerve sedative that is a dangerous
poison when taken in high doses.

Other than that it's pretty useless.
:-p

--
If God had intended us to drink beer, He would have given us stomachs.