S^ FLORA HISTORICA. 



September. In its natural wild state the flowers 

 are of a fine ultramarine blue, and hence it was, 

 we presume, originally called Blueblow. Dr. 

 Turner calls it Blewblawe in 1564, as well as 

 Blewbottle ; and the latter appears a corruption 

 from the former, since there is nothing in the 

 shape of the flower that can possibly remind us 

 of a bottle. Dr. Turner observes, that " some 

 herbaries call it Baptisecula, or Blaptisecula, be- 

 cause it hurteth sides, which were ones called of 

 olde writers Seculce.'* 



Gerard observes, that it is called '* Blewe- 

 bottle, Bleweblow, Corneflower, andHurtsickle." 

 He adds, ''it is sowen in gardens, which, by 

 cunning looking to, doth oftentimes become of 

 other colours, and some also double." In Scot- 

 land it is called Blue Bonnets ; in German, 

 Dutch, Swedish, and Danish, Kornbhime; in 

 French, Bluet; in Italian and Portuguese, Ciano ; 

 in Spanish, Adam Azuleio. 



A beautiful blue, almost equal to ultramarine, 

 may be obtained from the Cyanus. After col- 

 lecting a quantity of these flowers, pick out the 

 petals or florets from the centre of the flower, 

 which are of a darker blue than those of the out- 

 side, and pound them whilst quite fresh in a 

 glass or marble mortar so as to obtain the juice, 

 to which add a small quantity of alum, and then 



