22 



which name it had, because it was a favourite flower in making 

 garlands, coronae. 



Most of you are aware that "Jerusalem Artichokes" are explained 

 to be a corruption from the Italian girasole, or sun-flower, of which 

 the plant is a species, while by a still further corruption the soup 

 made from the root is called Soup Palestine. The Italian explana- 

 tion is very plausible and ingenious, but it is an open question 

 whether it is true ; whether it is not even more corrupt than the 

 original mistake, an explanation of ignotum per ignotius. When 

 ■we find that the plant was introduced in 1617, and that Lord 

 Bacon and Parkinson at the time of its introduction, and Dr. 

 Johnson more than a century later, speak of it as " Artichokes of 

 Jerusalem," it is at least probable that that was the original name, 

 the title of Jerusalem being simply given, as we know the title 

 was often given, to show that it came from a distant land. It ia 

 not easy to see how an Italian name should have been given to a 

 plant that came to us from Brazil through Canada. 



When we consider that we are indebted to the mediaeval clergy 

 for many of oiu- plant names, it seems strange that so very few 

 bear names that can in any way be called religious, or connected 

 with the sacred services. It seems indeed very likely, if not 

 certain, that the plants which have the names of the lady or 

 " maiden " were connected with the Virgin Mary, either as being 

 dedicated to her, or so named because they flowered at one or 

 other of her festivals, and were probably used for the adornment 

 of the churches at these seasons. But with this exception there 

 are very few that bear the names of saints, and I can indeed only 

 find one that still holds its ground, the S. John's Wort, which 

 flowers at the time of S. John's Day or Midsummer. There is one 

 other which bears a Saint's name, but much hidden, the Samphire, 

 which from its growing on the rocks, and from the connection 

 between " rock " and Peter, was no doubt dedicated to S. Peter, 

 and obtained the name of Saint Pierre corrupted to samphire. 

 Most of you know the plant as the one named by Shakespeare, 

 " Half way down hangs one that gathers samphii'e," and I think 

 most people's knowledge of the plant goes no farther. But I am 

 induced to mention the plant, because there is a stoiy connected 



