38 THE FRUITS OF THE COUNTRY-SIDE 



narcotic properties. While used at times in cutaneous trouble, 

 its effects are too uncertain to make it at all a safe application.' 

 Orfila records a case where three children eat the berries, 

 and were promptly seized with giddiness and convulsions ; 

 all three died very quickly. From their dull black colour 

 and unpleasant taste these berries are less attractive to 

 children than are many others, and so they are preserved 

 thus far from the temptation of indulging at all freely 

 in them. We occasionally find the plant bearing berries 

 that not only begin by being green, but remain so, not 

 showing an inclination to turn the normal black ; such 

 cases are, however, very exceptional. Some writers suggest 

 that the black nightshade, wherever seen, should be ex- 

 terminated ; but this is a counsel of perfection that, in 

 the case of a plant so abundant, will never be attained to, 

 nor indeed does one see why it should be, a much simpler 

 plan being to allow the plant itself to exterminate those 

 foolish enough to meddle with it, and thus enable them 

 to serve as awful warnings to the rest of us. 



HOP (HUMULUS LUPULUS) 



Tapestrying the hedges and ascending the trunks of 

 the hedgerow trees may often be found the graceful festoons 

 of the hop. Charming as it is in itself it makes a very 



' While Gerard in his Gencrall History of Plantcs commends it as being 

 " good against " divers ailments, he adds : " Notwithstanding that it hath these 

 vertues, yet it is not ahvaies good that it should be applied vnto these 

 infirmities, for that many times there hapneth more dangers by applying of 

 these remedies than of the disease it selfe. They are not of such esteeme 

 that we should long insist vpon them, especially seeing wee are furnished 

 with such store of medicines lesse harmefull, yet seruing the same purpose." 

 A sufficiently strong hint to let it alone. 



