58 THE STORY OF PLANT Lite 
short stamens open towards it also, causing an insect 
visitor to become covered with their pollen on the 
head. Bees, flies, beetles, etc., are constant visitors. 
When the pod or siliqua is ripe, the seeds, owing to 
the tenseness of the pods whose valves roll up, are 
jerked to some little distance away, hence the dotted 
character of a field with Lady’s Smocks. 
A common name for it was Gowan— 
“Or can our flowers at ten hours bell 
The gowan or the spink excell ?” 
Apple-pie was applied to it because of the scent of 
the flower and shoots. In many parts it is known as 
Bread and Milk, because that beverage comes into 
vogue when it flowers. 
THE SHEPHERD’S PurRSE (Capsella bursa pastoris). 
Though not a very attractive species, being rather 
inconspicuous, Shepherd’s Purse is a very common 
plant, found in every part of the British Isles, and it 
grows at an altitude of over a thousand feet. 
Perhaps, because it is a so-called weed, this really 
graceful wild flower is not popular, except locally 
amongst children, who play a game with the 
pouches or capsules, which give it its appropriate 
name. 
In the days when shepherds were employed on 
every croft, this wayside purse would naturally be 
assigned to the shepherd as his very own. 
ae = ‘. = 
