l6 POISONOUS PLANTS 



cottager, a little horse-radish is also grown. In 

 winter he digs up a root and poisons his family, 

 having supplied them with Aconite by mistake. Or 

 again, they collect the thick roots of the Water- 

 Hemlock, or other harmful plant, as a substitute 

 for parsnips ; or the leaves of the Fool's Parsley for 

 those of the true one, etc. Such mistakes are often 

 made with painful results to the consumer, even if 

 they be not fatal. 



These and such-like are the cases one would 

 wish to prevent in future ; if only those who could 

 do so would impart the knowledge to our country 

 children ; as the late Rev. Prof. J. S. Henslow did, 

 to the village children of Hitcham, Suffolk, more 

 than forty years ago.^ 



THE STRUCTURE OF FLOWERS. 



In order to be able to recognize poisonous 

 herbs, shrubs, or trees, some little knowledge of the 

 structure of flowers and fruits is necessary ; so I 



* It would be greatly to their advantage educationally, as 

 well as useful, if the subject of Botany were generally intro- 

 duced into our schools, on the plan adopted by my father. 

 Then, besides a general collection of all the wild flowers of 

 the district, one of the poisonous fruits and seeds for com- 

 parison would be invaluable. But it requires some little 

 enthiisiasm on the part of the incumbent as well as of the 

 school-master. 



