220 ROSACEA 



The Meadow-sweet, or Meadow-queen, as it is often called, is one of the 

 loveliest of wild flowers. Its white blossoms, tinged with yellowish green, 

 are in crowded clusters, and are so light and feathery, that the slightest wind 

 ruffles them, and while it wafts their odour, Lids them nod and bow grace- 

 fully before it. The stem is usually about two or three feet high, but occa- 

 sionally it is a foot higher. Everyone admires 



"The almond- scented Meadow-sweet, whose plumes 

 Of powerful odour incense all the air." 



The French call it La reine des pres, the Germans TFiesenkonigin, and the 

 Dutch language, not always harmonious in its terminations, has for this 

 plant the pretty name of ReyneUe. It is the Uhimria of the Spanish and 

 Portuguese, and is called by the I^ussians Medunischnik. The plant is found 

 pretty generally throughout Europe, and in some of the northern countries 

 of Asia various species of Spircea are very ornamental and frequent. A 

 gregarious species, the Spircea kamschatika, is called by the people of Kam- 

 schatka Schalameynik, and throughout the summer quite characterises the 

 vegetation of that land by its abundance and peculiar appearance. It is a 

 plant of wonderfully rapid growth, acquiring in the course of a few weeks 

 the height of ten feet, and disappearing in autumn, without leaving a single 

 trace, as one frosty night will level the whole with the ground. Its stems 

 display in July their white bunches of flowers, which subsequently acquire a 

 gray tint. 



The blossoms of the Meadow-sweet appear in July and August, when they 

 quiver beside many a stream, or grace many a damp wood or meadow. The 

 fragrance has much of that odour of prussic acid which is found in Sloe, 

 Almond, and several other flowers contained in the order. In the open air it 

 is not only delicious, but harmless ; but it is very deleterious in a close room, 

 and has proved the cause of severe illness to some who slept with it in their 

 apartment. The whole plant is bitter and astringent, and was formerly used 

 as medicine, and its properties are, doubtless, tonic. A very pleasant and 

 fragrant water may be distilled from its flowers. The roots are very much 

 souo-ht out by swine, and the dried knobs, beaten or ground with meal, are 

 said by Linnteus to afford no bad substitute for flour. The blossoms are too 

 fragile to survive long after being gathered, 



" In thy wild gatherings shouldst thou chance to meet 



With the white Meadow-sweet, 

 Inhale its honeyed breath, and pass it by ; 

 Bind it not in thy wreath, for it would die, 



Pluck'd from its river-home ; 

 And the poor sighing bee would vainly roam, 

 Wandering about its desolate retreat. 

 " But let it live, and by to-morrow's dawn. 



On its soft bosom borne, 

 Thou shalt behold the little buds thy care 

 From early death within its breast did spare ; 



And in the evening hour. 

 As there thou passest, shall the grateful flower 

 Lower before thee bend its waving form." 



The old herbalists had miich to say in praise of the Mead-sweet, as they 

 called it. It was of power to " alter and take away fits of the ague," and to 



