Mak. 5. 1853.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



233 



■WILD PLANTS AND THEIR NAMES. 



In looking over some memoranda, I find the 

 following Queries entered ; and, as it is more than 

 .probable that some of the readers of " N. & Q." 

 who take an interest in our wild flowers, and love 

 the simple, homely names which were given them 

 'by our fathers, will easily solve them, I send them 

 for insertion : 



1. Capsella, Bursa pastoris, "Shepherd's Purse." 

 "Why was this plant called " St. James's Wort ;" 

 French, "Fleur de St. Jacques?" Was it used in 

 medicine? Its old name, "Poor Man's Parma- 

 cetic," would imply that it was. 



2. Veyonica Chamwdrys, "Eye-bright," "Paul's 

 Betony," and " Fiuellin." What was the origin of 

 these two names ? 



3. Primula veris, " Cowslip," " Palsy Wort ; " 

 French, "Herbe de la Paralysie." Is this plant 

 used in any of our village pharmacopoeias as a 

 remedy for palsy ; and if so, how ? I may also 

 add another Query on this plant, and which I 

 trust some fair reader will answer ; and that is, 

 How is the ointment prepared from the leaves (?), 

 which is used to remove tan and freckles from the 

 sunburnt ? 



4. Viburnum opulus, " Guelder Rose." Was this 

 plant originally a native of the Low Countries ? I 

 am inclined to think that its distribution was of 

 a very wide range. 



5. Neottia spiralis, " Ladies' Tresses," " Sweet 

 •Cods," " Sweet Cullins," and " Stander Grass." 

 What is the origin of these names ? 



6. Rihes nigrum, "Black Currant," "Gazel" 

 (Kent). Meaning ? 



7. Stellaria holostea, " Stitchwort," "All-bones." 

 Meaning ? The plant is very fragile. 



8. Orobus tuberosus, "Bitter Vetch," "Cormeille" 

 (Highlands of Scotland), and "Kuapperts" (Scot- 

 land generally) . Have these terms any signification ? 



9. Sinapis arvensis, " Wild Mustard," " Char- 

 lock," ''Garlock," " Chadlock," and " Runsh." 

 Derivation and meaning ? 



10. Saxifraga umbrosa, "London Pride," "Saxi- 

 frage," " St. Patrick's Cabbage." Is there a legend 

 in connexion with this name ; and in what county 

 ds this saxifrage so called ? 



11. Geum urbanum, " Yellow Avens," " Herb 

 Bennet," "Star of the North," " Blessed Herb." 

 "These names would appear to point to some 

 virtues supposed to be attached to this herb. 

 What are they ? 



12. Linum catharticum, "Purge Flax," "Mill 

 Mountain " ? 



13. Sedum acre, " Biting Stone-crop," " Jack of 

 the Buttery," " Pricket," " Bird's Bread " ? 



14. Gnaphalium germanicum, "Common Cud- 

 weed," " Wicked Herb " {Herba impia), " Live- 

 long," and " Chaff-weed." 



15. Euphorbia helioscopia, "Sun Spurge," 

 "Churn-staff" ? juice milky, but acrid. 



16. Euphorbia ci/parissius, " Cypress Spurge,'* 

 " Welcome to our House" ? 



17. Chrysanthemum segetum, "Wild Marigold," 

 " Goules," " Goulans " (Query remains of its old 

 name gold ?), " St. John's Bloom," " Ruddes" ? 



18. «^ergWa ar»e7Ww,"SpurreyYarr" (Scotch)? 



19. Chenapodium Bonus Henricus, " Mercury 

 Goose-foot," "Good King Henry" ? 



To all the latter the same Query will apply, 

 What is the origin of the name ? It is probable 

 but few of the above names will be now found ; 

 or, if found, it will be only in those districts 

 where the march of intellect (?) has not banished 

 all traces of household surgery, home legends, and, 

 I may almost add, home feelings. 



Much that is interesting to the antiquary and 

 the naturalist is now fast fading out of the land. 

 The very existence of the cheap literature of the 

 day will rapidly root out all traces of traditionary 

 lore ; and strong, steady efforts should be made to 

 rescue as much as possible of it from oblivion. It 

 is with this view I send these Queries ; and in case 

 they are deemed worthy of insertion, I purpose to 

 follow them up by a second list of Queries, as to 

 the medical virtues of our wild plants. In the 

 mean time I may add, that any Notes on thena, 

 whether as charms or cures, would be most desir- 

 able. Eniyki. 



Tredagh. 



FOPULAE SAYINGS. 



I would feel obliged, Mr. Editor, if you or any 

 of your North of England readers would favour 

 me direct, or otherwise through the medium of 

 "N. & Q.," with the origin and meaning of the fol- 

 lowing popular local sayings, peculiar to the North 

 Countrie. 



Likewise permit me to observe, that if any of 

 them can favour me, through either of the above 

 channels, with a few more of the " dark sayings of 

 antiquity," either in the form of plain prose or 

 rude rustic rhymes, peculiar to any or all of the 

 five northern counties, to wit, York, Durham, 

 Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmore- 

 land, they would not only be conferring an obli- 

 gation upon myself, but likewise upon every one 

 of your numerous readers who take pleasure in 

 the fast- fading traditional relics of our ancestors. 



1 . As crafty as a Kendal fox. 



2. Like the parson of Saddleworth, who could 

 read in no book but his own. 



3. Doncaster daggers. 



4. The woful town o' Wetherby. 



5. As sure as a louse in Pomfret. (Pontefract.) 



6. Like the mayor of Hartlepool, you cannot do 

 that. (Co. Durham.) 



