162 FLORA HISTORICA. 



a good deal of sal ammoniac and sulphur, alloyed 

 with a little earth." 



The English gardens now possess several varie- 

 ties of the Lily of the Valley, amongst which is the 

 white with double flowers, the single and double 

 red, and a variety with larger corollas that are 

 variegated with purple. This latter kind is greatly- 

 esteemed in Paris, from whence it was first brought 

 to this country ; but as it does not increase so fast 

 as the other varieties, it still remains more rare than 

 we could wish to find it in the country in general. 



The Convaliaria Japonlca, Ophiopogon, or 

 SnakeVbeard, was first brought to this country 

 from Japan, in the year 1784, and although its cul- 

 ture is as easy, and its nature as hardy as the 

 indigenous Lily of the Valley, it has not yet become 

 common. It flowers in September of a fine blue 

 colour, and it is esteemed for its fruit, which is 

 partly obscured by its foliage. 



We have also three other distinct species of Con- 

 valiaria, that are natives of our woods, and which 

 have been named Solomon's Seal, in English, and 

 Sceau de Salomon and Signet de Salomonin French, 

 and Sigillo di Solomone'm Italian, because on cutting 

 the root transversely, characters appear that have 

 resemblance to a seal. Dioscorides says that the 

 root of this plant pounded and laid on fresh wounds 

 heals and seals them up, and it is on this account 



