MALLOW. 289 



warm, was a celebrated medicine for such as were 

 gone nielanclioly, or were deranged in mind. AVe 

 learn also from this natural historian, that Mallows 

 were sown in the fields for the purpose of enrlchino- 

 the ground. 



The common Mallow, Malva Syhestris, is a 

 plant which we see bordering the road sides in 

 most parts of Europe ; and although it so fre- 

 quently meets the eye, from its flowers succeedino- 

 each other from the month of May to the end of 

 October, yet its blossoms never tire the sight, 

 their petals being of dehcate reddish-purple, some- 

 times varying to a white, or inclining to a bluish 

 cast, with three or four darker streaks running 

 from the base. It is fortunate for the husband- 

 men that nature should allot this plant for the 

 banks and borders of fields, rather than to scatter 

 it over the meadows, since its spreading branches 

 would, in a great measure, destroy the turf; and 

 cattle in general refuse to eat this plant, so that 

 it would soon overrun and smother other vegetation. 



The Dwarf Mallow, Malva RotundifoUa, and 

 the Musk Mallow, Malva Moschata, are also indi- 

 genous species of the Mallow. 



Amongst the exotic Mallows, we shall notice 

 the Curl-leaved, Malva Crispa, which was origin- 

 ally brought out of Syria, but most probably 

 came to us through France, since Gerard calls it 



VOL. II. o 



