COMPOUND FLO^VERS 189 



2. Corn Marigold {C. sdgetum). — Leaves smooth, toothed, and lobed, 

 upper ones clasping; scales of the involucre egg-shaped and blunt, with a 

 broad membranous margin ; stem branched ; flowers solitary, terminal ; 

 perennial. This plant, though somewhat local, is so abundant in some 

 districts, that every cornfield is spangled with its bright yellow blooms. In 

 June and July, its large flowers often contrast beautifully with the blue and 

 scarlet blossoms growing among the corn. In France, it is more frequent 

 than in our fields. It has remarkably smooth and glaucous foliage, and the 

 flower stands on an angular stalk aloout a foot high, Avhich is alternately 

 branched. Both disk and ray of the blossom are of uniform yellow, and it 

 is as large as a garden Marigold. 



Beautiful as the flower is, yet growing in land on which ears of corn 

 should be multiplying, it is most unwelcome to the farmer, as are most 

 of its floral companions there : — 



" The lowly bind with its delicate tinge, 

 The azure succory's silken fringe, 

 The modest scabious of deeper blue, 

 And silvery galium of virgin hue, 

 The gay fluellin and ox-eye bold, 

 And their gaudy neighbour the Marigold." 



The French call this flower Marguerite jaune, Soiici des champs, Soiiri des 

 hies; the Italians term it Crisantemo, and the French Chrijsanfeme, names 

 which, like our old ones of Golding and Goul, and the German Goldblume. 

 refer to its rich hue, and some of which are made from the Greek words for 

 Gold-flower. The old Gool-ridings of Scotland were established for the 

 purpose of exterminating this weed from the corn-fields, and a penalty of a 

 wether sheep was paid b}- the farmer whose field was found so neglected as 

 to furnish a large crop of the Gools. The practice is supposed to have 

 originated with the Vice-Chancellor of Henry VI., who exercised great severity 

 towards the farmers on his own lands, and established the Gool-ridings, in 

 order to punish them for their omissions in not clearing the corn of the " Carr- 

 gulds." In Denmark, a law compels the extirpation of the Corn Marigold. 



45. Wild Chamomile, Fever-few {Matricaria). 



1. Common Fever-few (if. parthdnium). — Leaves stalked, flat, twice 

 pinnate, the segments egg-shaped and cut ; flower-stalks branched ; stem 

 erect ; involucre hemispherical and downy ; receptacle convex ; pappus short, 

 toothed ; perennial. This is a common plant in waste places and hedges. 

 Its stem is one or two feet high, and the disk-flowers are yellow, with short 

 white rays around. Persons who are afraid of bees should carry a piece of 

 the plant in the hand ; for these insects carefully avoid contact with it, dis- 

 liking, it is said, its aromatic odour. Its English name is a corruption of 

 Febrifuga, from its old uses in fevers. It is now commonly called Feather- 

 few, and was so called by some of the herbalists, probably on account of its 

 delicately cut leaves, which are conspicuous even in winter by their green 

 hue. The odour is pleasant, something resembling that of the chamomile, 

 but weaker. The plant was formerly regarded as a specific for ague : it was 

 made into a syrup for winter use, and, mingled with honey, was supposed to 



