1^8 I'l.OWl'-.I^S Ol. 'mi'', CORN'I'llJ.DS 



baptisccula or Kiaptisc-cula because it hurtcth sides, which were ones 

 called ol oKl writers seciihe". The name l,o^^ei-lieads is ^iveii because 

 of Uu' rest-niljlance ol ils knobbed iiuohieres to a weapon so called, 

 coiisistintf of a ball ol iron at die end of a slick. 



In (loethe's luiusl, .MarL^arel selects it as the lloral indication by 

 which she nia\ learn the truth respecting;- I'^aust : 



" .\n(l tliat scarlet poppies around like a bower, 

 The iiiaideii found her mystic flower. 

 ' Now Ljentle flower, I ])r,i\- tlice tell 

 If HI)' love loves, and I(j\es nic well; 

 So may the fall of the morning' dew- 

 Keep the sun from fading- th\- tender blue. 

 Now- I remember the leaves for my lot — 

 He loves me i-iot- — he loves me — he loves me not. 

 He lo\es me! \-es, the last leaf — yes; 

 I '11 pluck thee not for that last sweet guess. 

 He loves me!' ' \'es,' a dear voice sighed, 

 And her lover stands by Margaret's side." 



Bluebottle has been known as a "arden llower for a lon^ tin-ie, 

 and varies in colour luider culti\'ation. Ink has been niade Ironi the 

 juice of the flowers, which stain linen l)lue. 



Essp:NTrAL SrEciFic Ch.vractkks; — 



175. Ccntaurca Cyaiuis, L. — Stem tall, branched, downy, leaves 

 lanceolate, lower dentate or pinnatifid, tlowerheads blue, disk ])urple, 

 phyllaries decurrent, fringed, pectinate, anthers dark, involucre on-enish- 

 yellow. 



Corn So-W-Thistle (Sonchus arvensis, L.) 



Though usualK- connected with corn-growing, and so niodern, this 

 plant can claim .some anti(]uity, having been found in Lacustrine 

 deposits of Neolithic age. To-da) it is found in Arctic luirope. North 

 Africa, Temperate Asia, and India. In North America it is an intro- 

 duction. In Great Britain it is found in every part of the country 

 except N. Rbudes, as far north as the .Shetlands. In Xortlnunberland 

 it is found at 1000 ft. It occurs in Ireland antl the Cd-iannel Islands. 



Conimon .Sow -Thistle is a ire(]uent cornfiekl plant, growing in 

 numbers amid the ripening grain, and as it is one of those plants that 

 are especially sensitive to light it turns its head to the sun, being 

 heliotropic in this respect, as are the leaves and (lowers of many other 

 plants. This plant grows also on waste ground, and is essentially a 

 follower of man ;uid the plough. 



The root is niilk\-, spreading, antl difficult to dislodge. The stem 



