This is also a rare species, found at one or two places in Essex, in the Den of Dupplin, and a few other damp places in England and Scotland. The stem is either simple or branched, two or three feet high; the yellow heads of flowers on long leafless stalks, usually solitary, or if more, the side ones do not, as in the other species, overtop the terminal ones. It flowers in June and July. 40. INULA (Elecampane, &c.). 1. I. Helénium (Elecampane).-Leaves clasping, unequally toothed, wrinkled, downy beneath; outer scales of the involucre egg-shaped, downy, leafy, turning backwards; ray twice as long as the disk; fruit quadrangular, smooth; root perennial. This very handsome but rare plant is found occasionally in moist pastures in England and Ireland, but is not wild in Scotland. It has a stout stem, from three to five feet high, with large leaves and bright yellow flowers of the size of small sunflowers. The leaves are bitter and aromatic, and the roots much more so. These contain a white, starch-like powder, termed Inuline, a volatile oil, a soft acrid resin, and a bitter extract, and they furnish the celebrated Vin d'Aulnée of the French, so largely used in pectoral complaints. This same inuline has, of late years, been found to exist in the tubers of several plants, as in those of the Jerusalem Artichoke, the Common Pellitory of the wall, and the Angelica. The root, when dried, becomes in the course of time stronger and sweeter, and has much of the scent and flavour of orris-root. At first taste it is glutinous, but somewhat strong and disagreeable, but it leaves an aromatic and bitter pungent flavour on the tongue. There is no doubt that it is a good pectoral medicine, and it is certainly a useful remedy for the diseases of sheep. The Romans used the roots as an edible vegetable; and that the monks prized them highly, is evident from their old line, "Enula campana will restore health to the heart;" Enula campana being its name among the medical writers of those days. It is little used in England, except that it is sometimes employed by druggists to adulterate ipecacuanha; but it is made into a cordial sweetmeat, which is eaten by people of the East, and considered to have sanatory properties. Elecampane lozenges were, a few years since, sold by druggists in England; and, on the Continent, various preparations of its juices form several favourite carminatives. The leaves too, bruised and steeped in wine, and mingled with whortleberries, produce a rich blue dye. The plant grows wild in several countries of Europe, and is cultivated in others for flavouring confectionery. The French call it Inule d'Aulnée; the Germans, Alaut; the Dutch, Gewoon alaut; the Italians, Enula; and the Russians, Dewjatschik. Its name of Helenium refers to the celebrated Helen, who is said to have had her hands full of these flowers when Paris carried her off. It was once very common in Sweden, but is now less frequent. Dr. A. Griesbach, of Göttingen, remarks: "Many plants have been extirpated by use this is now gradually taking place with Gentiana lutea, in the Alps, and Inula Helenium, in the north of Sweden. The contact of man with nature exerts no less a modifying influence on the vegetable kingdom than upon the animal creation. The original vegetation of a country must in general, therefore, be regarded as more rich in species; and in this manner, in Sweden and Germany, even under our own eyes, the localities of rare plants are disappearing one after the other." 2. I. Conýza (Ploughman's Spikenard).-Leaves egg-shaped, somewhat lanceolate, serrated, downy, the upper ones entire, lower ones narrowed into a footstalk; stem herbaceous, corymbose; scales of the involucre all narrow, and turning backwards, leafy; ray scarcely longer than the disk; fruit round, slightly hairy; root biennial. This plant, though rarely if ever truly wild in Scotland, is very common on waste places of the English landscape, from the chalky or clayey hedge-bank to the heights of the sea-cliff. It is a large and not a handsome plant, its heads of flowers having a few small florets, those of the ray being something between tubular and strap-shaped, and all dull yellow. The foliage, too, is of a sombre green, and the leaf-like scales of the involucre are frequently of a reddish-brown hue. The stem is about two or three feet high, and the panicles of flowers have leaves growing among them. They appear from July to October. The plant has a slightly aromatic odour-" the ploughman's spikenard's spicy smell"-but this is not very perceptible till it is gathered. It possesses, however, a valuable oil, which is used as a sudorific, and which is said to destroy insects; hence the plant is sometimes called Flybane, and by the French, Herbe aux puces. It was once much valued in the cure of disease, both here and in France. The French call it also Conise: the Germans term it Dürrwurz; the Dutch, Tonderkruid; and the Spaniards and Italians, Conizza. Gerarde says that the "learned herbarists" of Montpellier called it Baccharis, believing it to be the plant alluded to by Virgil by that An American purple-flowered species emits a strong odour of camphor; and other plants of the genus yield fragrant gums, which might be useful both in medicine and the arts, and several of which have been found to be of great medical use. name. 3. I. crithmoides (Golden Samphire).-Leaves linear, fleshy, usually threetoothed at the extremity; scales of the involucre closely pressed, narrow, and pointed; ray nearly twice the length of the disk; fruit hairy; root perennial. This is a rare species, found on cliffs and salt marshes, easily distinguished from any other native plant by its fleshy leaves and yellow flowers which expand in July and August. The stem is about a foot high, a little branched at the summit, with a single flower on each branch. In cases where this plant occurs, it is often used as a pickle; and the young shoots are sometimes even sent to the London markets, and sold as the veritable samphire, to which, however, it is very inferior, though in its young state bearing some resemblance to it. 41. PULICÁRIA (Flea-bane). 1. P. dysenterica (Common Flea-bane).-Leaves oblong, heart-shaped or arrow-shaped, and clasping at the base, and, as well as the stem, downy; scales of the involucre bristly; ray twice as long as the disk; fruit angular; outer pappus waved and cup-like; root perennial. Few of the streams of England which are gay during summer with bright flowers, are destitute of the golden marigold-like blossoms of this plant. On the moist margins of brooks and rivers, and on wet bogs, it is plentiful from July to September, growing often in large masses: but in Scotland it is a rare flower, nor is it general in Ireland. The stem is one or two feet high, and is conspicuous among the emerald grasses by the contrast of its wrinkled foliage, which is of a dull whitish uniform green colour, and which, when bruised, is said to have the odour of smoke, though to us it seems to have that of soap. Its juice is saline, bitter, and astringent. It was celebrated by Linnæus as having proved a valuable medicine in the Russian army, and is used occasionally in this country as a tonic. Haller, however, speaks contemptuously of the medical properties of the plant, because, as he says, it abounds in earthy matter. Our old writers, who called it Middle Fleabane, believed that if burnt in any place frequented by insects, these intruders would certainly be expelled; and Forskhal says that the Arabs called it Rara ejub, or Job's Tears, from the belief that Job used this plant to cure himself of his painful maladies, during the season of his affliction. Few, if any, animals will eat the herb. Mr. Baxter mentions that Saussure kept a plant of this species for six months in the vacuum of an air-pump, without any apparent effect. It was then placed in the light, but in such a manner as not to receive the sun's direct rays, as it withered if even a small degree of sunshine reached it. It also grew equally well in an atmosphere of nitrogen gas and in an atmosphere of common air, though the former entirely destroys life in most plants. The juice of this Flea-bane turns green with vitriol of iron. 2. P. vulgáris (Small Flea-bane).-Leaves lanceolate, wavy, hairy, narrow at the base, and half clasping the stem; stem hairy, much branched; ray scarcely longer than the disk; fruit angular; root annual. This plant is found occasionally in England, but not in Scotland or Ireland. Its stem is leafy, from six to twelve inches high, and the small heads of yellow florets expand in July and August. It grows on moist sandy heaths, or on places where water has once stood. 42. BELLIS (Daisy). 1. B. perénnis (Common Daisy).—Stalk single-flowered; leaves inversely egg-shaped, narrowing at the base, the margin having rounded notches; root perennial. Who does not love the Daisy, the little red-tipped Daisy, so like Hope and Faith in its constant up-looking; so cheerful in aspect, that, as the poet has said, "it smiles even in times unkind"? To our latest days the Daisy will have a charm, while it can remind us that it was the first flower which we gathered in unlimited abundance; the flower which in childhood we linked into wreaths, when we "prinked our hair with daisies "-the flower on whose clustering numbers we were wont to tread, and shout, "Spring is come, for we can set our foot on nine daisies." Poets have sung its praises from oldest times, from Chaucer who called it the " eye of day," and Ben Jonson who wrote of "sweet daie's eyes," down to the latest poets of our own period; for its beauty and early memories have ever appealed to the heart and imagination. The love which Chaucer entertains for the flower is shared by us yet, for the "delight in little things" has been given as a blessing to thousands of hearts by Him from whom cometh every good gift; and though the mere worldly man may smile at the simple lover of flowers, yet those who have loved them best well know that this very love has come in moments of sorrow to soothe-has served as a recreation to minds which were wearied with earnest toil-has helped to waken thoughts of God as the Friend of the friendless-has whispered truths of heavenly consolation —has raised the heart to prayer. God has not scattered the daisies over green meadow or sunny hill, by our wayside or on the graves of our loved ones, that we should pass them unheeded, or crush them beneath our footstep without a thought of their grace. We have but to look into that star of gold and silver, to see what His hands have wrought. That star is full of flowers, each perfect in itself, each so wondrously constructed, that he who has never looked at them through a microscope has not yet learned half their wondrous beauty, though even by a glance he may have learned to say with Chaucer "That above all flouris in the mede, Then love I most these flouris white and rede, To them I have so great affectioun, |