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lingered till lately in the practice of strewing herbs and flowers at 

 the doors of houses on the Corpus Christi Eve. In Roman Catholic 

 countries flowers are strewed along the streets in this festival, and 

 the route of the procession at Rome is covered with Bay and other 

 fragrant leaves. 



On the Vigil of St. John the Baptist, Stowe tells us that in 

 his time every man's door was shadowed with green Birch, long 

 Fennel, St. John's Wort, Orpine, white Lilies, and such like, 

 garnished upon with garlands of beautiful flowers, and also lamps 

 of glass, with oil burning in them all night. Birch is the special 

 tree, as the yellow St. John's Wort (Hypermim) is the special 

 flower, of St. John. In the life of Bishop Home we read that in 

 the Court of Magdalen, Oxford, a sermon used to be preached on 

 this day from the stone pulpit in the corner, and " the quadrangle 

 was furnished round with a large fence of green boughs, that the 

 meeting might more nearly resemble that of John Baptist in the 

 wilderness." 



On All Saints' or All Hallows' Day, Roman Catholics are 

 wont to visit the graves of departed relatives or friends, and place 

 on them wreaths of Ivy, Moss, and red Berries. On the Eve of this 

 day, Hallowe'en (October 31st), many superstitious customs are 

 still practised. In the North young people dive for Apples, and for 

 divining purposes fling Nuts into the fire ; hence the vulgar name of 

 Nut-crack Night. In Scotland young women determine the figure 

 and size of their future husbands by paying a visit to the Kail or 

 Cabbage garden, and " pu'ing the Kailstock " blindfold. They 

 also on this night throw Hazel Nuts in the fire, named for two lovers, 

 judging according as they burn quickly together, or start apart, the 

 course of their love. 



At Christmas tide Holly (the " holy tree "), Rosemary, Laurel, 

 Bay, Arbor Vitae, and Ivy are hung up in churches, and are suitable 

 also for the decoration of houses, with the important addition of 

 Mistletoe (which, on account of its Druidic connection, is interdicted 

 in places of worship). Ivy should only be placed in outer passages or 

 doorways. At Christmas, which St. Gregory termed the " festival 

 of all festivals," the evergreens with which the churches are 

 ornamented are a fitting emblem of that time when, as God says 

 by the prophet Isaiah, " I will plant in the wilderness the Cedar, 

 the Shittah tree and the Myrtle, and the Oil tree ; I will set in the 

 desert the Fir tree and the Pine, and the Box tree together (xli., 19). 

 The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the Fir tree, the 

 Pine tree, and the Box together, to beautify the place of my 

 sanctuary ; and I will make the place of my feet glorious " (Ix., 13). 



Sjoi^pef ©aft/«) al^ts Memorial UTee^i). 



There exist in different parts of England several ancient trees, 

 notably Oaks, which are traditionally said to have been called 



