50 OXALIS. — ULEX. 



122. OxALis ACETosELLA. Wood Sorrcl. ^oiuvCIobfr: f^cartg, 

 from the shape of the leaflet : Ctirfeoo'^^mcat : ((^olufe'si-mcnt : 

 (i^otDfe'i^^flobfr. The latter names coincide with that of this pretty 

 flower in Gothland in Sweden, " Giokmat," and with the French 

 " pain de coucou." — Common in deans, woods, and moors, and ascends 

 to the summit of the Cheviots. Gregarious. April. — Turner informs 

 us that the Oxalis was called in England ^Ileluja "because it appareth 

 about Easter when AUeluja is song again ;" and Mr. Bicheno has 

 proved, in a very interesting manner, that Ox. acetosella is the Sham- 

 rock of the Irish ; the substitution of the White-Clover being of mo- 

 dern date. See also Brand's Popular Antiquities, i. p. 108. Bohn, 

 1849. — Sheep eat the plant readily, and are said to be fond of it. I 

 concur in the opinion of Linnsevis that the acidity of the leaves is 

 more agreeable and delicate than that of the lemon. The flowers 

 appear with those of the wood Anemone, and one of greater attractions 

 does not grace our deans. The leaflets droop in dry weather, and 

 become erect under a moist sky. For further particulars of their 

 irritability the reader may refer to Ann. Nat. Hist. iv. p. 390. — If 

 we lightly press the capsule when nearly ripe, it bursts with a sudden 

 jerk, and the seeds are projected and dispersed with great force. 



123. EuoNYMUs EUROP^us. Spindle-trcc. Deans. B. Banks 

 of the Whiteadder opposite Edringt on- Castle ; and between Claribad 

 and Hutton mills. Lumsden dean sparingly. Redpathdean. R.Banks 

 of the Tweed above Trows'-crags, Dr. F. Douglas. — D. Kyloe crags, 

 and on the crags at Belford, abundantly. — N. Humbledon dean ; and 

 in wooded margins of the College burn. June. 



124. Ulex exjrop^us. CI)f OTlfjiu or ;ffm\t. This and the 

 Coltsfoot are, I think, our only conspicuous wild plants which take 

 " the winds of March with beauty " ; and the Whin continues in bloom 

 until the approach of the summer solstice. 



" March wind 

 Kindles the ether, and blooms the WCi)in." 



" The hills are heathy, save that swelling slope. 

 Which hath a gay and gorgeous covering on. 

 All golden with the never bloomless dTurjC, 

 Which now blooms most profusely." — Coleridge. 



Upon our hilly and exposed cultivated grounds, and near the sea, 

 the Whin is sometimes sown in ridges to form hedges. Used 

 also to form fox-covers ; but of more value on moors as a shelter to 

 sheep during the drifting storm. In years of scarcity, in muirland 

 districts. Whins bruised with the flail were resorted to as a winter-food 

 for horses. With the blossoms children dye their "paste-eggs" at 

 Easter. In former times the Whin was a principal article of fuel 

 amongst us ; and even so late as 1 730, the " privilege of casting his 

 whins" was reserved in leases of farms to certain specified persons. 



125. U. NANUS. Bot. Gazette, i. p. 288. — This is the common 

 Whin on Wooler-common, and on the higher parts of the Cheviot 

 hills. Summer. 



