On Sun, 14 Aug 2005 18:31:01 +0100, Jaques d'Alltrades wrote:
and laurel a bit like
bitter almonds, due to the prussic acid content.

So, if you wish to avoid cyanide poisoning, don't use laurel as a
flavouring...

When I used laurel leaves to kill bugs a long time ago in my youth
(when it was still ok to collect birds eggs as well,) I assumed that
it was cyanide in the leaves wot done it.
But you said the leaves contained prussic acid, which confused me !
However after a short google this page proved enlightening
http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/range/g775.htm
"prussic acid--also called hydrocyanic acid, hydrogen cyanide, or
cyanide"
Psst, dont tell elfinsfty, but it goes on to say" ,,,, or cyanide--can
be fatal. "
If elfinsaftey get a whiff of that they'll be banning Laurel plantings
along with dihydrogen monoxide

rant
It is my contention that I know more about the countryside, birds in
particular, and 'nature' in general because I (we) were able to go
about and play and discover (for example that sand martin nests were
"----" that far back from the bank in tunnels and etc&etc similar
interesting things) We have a nice collection of pressed wild flowers
and vegetation (my sisters, mine and our parents collections), that
was a long time ago as was a very nice collection of dried pressed
seaweeds from grandfather and greatgrandfather from all round the uk
coastline, but who does(/is allowed to do) that sort of thing now ?
No doubt it might ( as most of it is dated and commented) give an
insight to climate trends (not mentioning the global warming word !)
but no one is going to get it because my heirs and succesors are not
permitted to do that sort of thing anymore.
eg. :-
My daughter was not able/allowed/etc to do what we did so has less
interest in those things but more in text messaging and nightclubbing
and things that she can/is permitted to do
:-((
/rant

PS
Laurel leaves crushed, in quantity and stuffed into every available
orifice of mole (warrens?) tunnels (under ones treasured lettuce
plants for example) does no good at all, they just dig new tunnels
underneath the carrots :-(((( grrrr