296 pfant "Isore, Tsege^/, and. Tstjric/'. 



trees in a grove, called Carnea, dedicated to the prod, they provoked 

 his anger and indignation: to expiate this sacrilege, the Greeks in- 

 stituted the festival called Carnea. The Cornel is under Venus. 



Coronation-flower. — See Carnation. 



COSTMARY. — This plant, the Balsamita vulgaris, owes its 

 name of Costmary to the Greek Kostos, an unknown aromatic plant, 

 and to the facft of its being dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene. A 

 variety of the plant is also called, after her, Maudlein, either in 

 allusion to her box of,5cented ointment or to its use in the uterine 

 affecftions over which, as the special patroness of unchaste women, 

 she presided. In old times, the plant was known as Herba Sanctis 

 or Divce Marias. The Costmary is held to be under Jupiter. 



COSTUS. — The Costus speciosus, an Indian swamp tree, cele- 

 brated for its sweet fruit, is a sacred tree, and in the Hindu 

 mythology figures as Kushtha, one of the trees of heaven. It is a 

 magical tree, curing fevers, and is looked upon as the first of medi- 

 cinal plants. It is represented as the friend and companion of 

 Soma, the god of Ambrosia. It is called the Revealer of Ambrosia, 

 inasmuch as its fruit grew on the summit of Mount Himavant at 

 the moment when the golden boat of the gods touched its summit, 

 and by its illuminating powers enabled them to find the Ambrosia. 



COTTON-PLANT.— The Cotton-plant {Gossypmm) was first 

 cultivated in the East, whence were procured the finest muslins (so 

 named from Mosul, in Mesopotamia, where it was first made), 

 calico (from Calicut, in India), and Nankeen (from Nankin, in 

 China, where the yellow Cotton-plants grow). Now the Cotton- 

 plant gives employment to millions of people, sends thousands of 

 ships across the sea, and binds together the two great Anglo-Saxon 

 nations. Although so useful, the Cotton is not one of the sacred 

 plants of India : in an Indian poem, however, the plant is noticed 

 favourably : — " We love the fruits of the Cotton because, although 

 tasteless, they have the property of concealing that which ought to 

 be concealed " (in allusion to the use of cotton as clothing). The 

 Khonds, whenever founding a new settlement, always plant first a 



Cotton-plant, which they hold sacred and religiously preserve. 



M. Agassiz, in his work on Brazil, recounts a strange legend re- 

 specfling the Gossypiiim Brazilianmn. Caro Sacaibu, the first of men, 

 was a demi-god. His son, Rairu, an inferior being, obeyed the 

 instrucflions of his father, who, however, did not love him. To 

 get rid of him, Sacaibu construcfted an armadillo, and buried it in 

 the earth, leaving visible only the tail, rubbed with Mistletoe. 

 Then he ordered his son to bring him the armadillo. Rairu 

 obeyed, but scarcely had he touched the tail, when, aided by Sacaibu, 

 it dragged Rairu to the bottom of the earth. But thanks to his 

 wit, Rairu contrived to make his way to the surface again, and told 

 Sacaibu that in the subterranean regions lived a race of men and 

 women, who, if transported to earth, would cultivate it. Sacaibu 



