COMPOUND FLOWERS 195 



segments ; stems furrowed ; scales of tlio involucre nearly smooth ; root 

 perennial. Several of the old names of this plant are very significant of 

 its former uses : Souldier's Wound-wort, Knyghten Milfoil, and Nose-bleed, 

 all show how much our fathers prized this herb as a vulnerary ; while its 

 common name of Old Man's Pepper indicates its use as a condiment to the 

 salad, though it scarcely merits this distinction, for but a slight pungency 

 exists in its young leaves. It is, however, bitter, and has a good deal of 

 astringency, though, as Professor Burnett remarks, "it is little esteemed, 

 except by the good women of the Orkneys, who hold Milfoil tea in high 

 repute for its power in dispelling melancholy." Its odour is slightly aromatic, 

 and the fresh roots have a warm and pleasantly pungent flavour ; there is no 

 doubt that any part of the plant is a safe and useful application to woixnds. 

 It is still in common use to cure headache, and people in villages yet put 

 this herb up the nostrils to stanch bleeding. We have known people take 

 large quantities as a remedy in consumption ; but the herb is too powerful 

 to be used safely in so extensive and indiscriminate a manner, though the 

 Yarrow salve still made by country people deserves some praise. 



The Yarrow is so common a plant that it may be found on every heath, 

 or meadow-land, or sunny bank ; and we could rarely wander into an 

 English churchyard from June to September without seeing its dense clusters 

 of white flowers, more or less tinged with a pinkish or purple hue, growing 

 on an angular stem one or two feet high. Its dark green beautifully-cut 

 leaves add much to its beauty, and it may often be found looking fresh and 

 verdant when the chilling winds of winter have swept from the mead all 

 flowers save itself and the daisy ; and sometimes a stray plant of Yarrow will 

 smile to the sunshine of a Christmas-day. Agnes Strickland has some lines 

 to this flower : — 



' ' Green Yarrow, Nature's simplest child, 



Thy leaves of emerald dye, 

 And silvery blossoms undefiled, 

 On rugged path, or barren wild, 



The traveller passes by 

 With reckless glance and careless tread, 

 Nor marks the kindly carpet spread 



Beneath his thankless feet ; 

 So poor a meed of sympathy 

 Do generous herbs of low degree 



Prom haughty mortals meet. 



" But thou a resting-place hast found 



Which none disputes with thee :• — 

 The silent churchyard's lowly bound, 

 Where sweetly on the hallow'd ground 



Thou gi'owest wildly free ; 

 Aye mantling o'er each nameless mound 

 Tiiy graceful foliage creeps around, 



And thy pale blossoms wave, 

 Wet with the dew's descending shoAver, 

 Beneath the yew's funereal bower, 

 And mourners in the autumn hour, 

 Behold and bless the gentle flower, 



That decks the peasant's grave.' 



Achilles is said to have been the first who used this as a wound-herb, and 



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