l-'O THE AMERICAN BOTANISl 



"common mint" and probably, "sage of Bethlehem.". "Our 

 Lady's mint" is doubtless a name testifying to its high re- 

 pute, since only plants of great excellence were dedicated to 

 the Virgin. The name of "spearmint," by which the plant 

 is most commonly known refers to the spire-like inflorescence. 

 The plant was once known as Mentha viridis and from this 

 circumstance the [)lant is occasionally called "green mint". 



Second only in importance to the spearmint, comes 

 Mentha pif^erita, well known from its I)iting flavor as "i)ep- 

 permint". but also called "lamb's mint" and "brandy mint" 

 from which we assume that it occasionally served in place of 

 its more popular relative. Both Menth longifolia and M. 

 aqtiatica are known as "water mint" and "fish mint", probably 

 for their fondness of water, though all the mints are found 

 in wet places. The first mentioned is also "brook mint," 

 and "liorse mint", the latter name doubtless referring to its 

 coarse or less attractive qualities. Mentha rotimdifolia is 

 also "horse-mint" and "wild mint". The meaning of "apple 

 mint" and "Patagonia mint" applied to this species is not clear, 

 but since practically all our mints are of Old World origin and 

 brought their common names with them when they settled with 

 us, they may have more significance abroad. The only species 

 native to both sides of the ocean is Mentha arvensis which is 

 known as "field mint" and "corn mint" for growing in culti- 

 vated grounds, as "wild pennyroyal" for its odor, and as 

 "lamb's tongue" for its occassional use in sauces. The variety 

 Canadensis is sometimes called "American mint", but rarely 

 on this side of the world. Mentha citrata is the "bergamot 

 mint". The truL- bergamot is a member of the citrus family 

 which the orange and lemon belong and the common name of 

 our plant clearly shows it to be a translation of the specific 



