LILY OF THE VALLEY. 229 



The Lily of the Valley requires a loose sandy soil and 

 a shady situation. It is increased by parting the roots 

 in autumn, which shoidd be done about once in three 

 years. They may be gently watered every evening in 

 dry summer weather. When the roots of this plant are 

 confined in a pot it may also be increased by its red berry; 

 but in the woods, where the roots are allowed to spread, it 

 seldom produces the berry*. 



The other species of the Lily of the Valley are natives 

 of Japan. 



" No flower amid the garden fairer grows 

 Than the sweet lily of the lowly vale^ 

 The queen of flowers." 



" And valley-lilies whiter still 



Than Leda's love." 



Keats's Endymion, p. 10. 



Of the Solomon"'s-seal — called in French le sceau de 

 Salomon ; le signet de Salomon ; llicrhe de la rupture [rup- 

 ture-wort] ; le genoicillet : Italian, il ginocc/iietto ; sigillo di 

 Salomone — there are seven species, and varieties of each : 

 the Narrow-leaved, the Single-flowered, the Broad-leaved, 

 the Many-flowered, the Cluster-flowered, the Star-flowered, 

 and the Least Solomon's-seal, or One-blade. 



" The root of the Single-flowered species," says Mr. 

 Martyn, " is twisted and full of knots. On a transverse 

 section of it, characters appear that give it the resemblance 

 of a seal : whence its name of Solomon's-seal." It is also 

 called White-root. 



The roots of this and the Broad-leaved kind have, in 

 times of scarcity, been made into bread ; and the young 

 shoots of the latter species are eaten by the Turks as we 

 eat asparagus. All the species are elegant plants. They 



* See Rousseau's Letters on Botany. 



