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the flower a very attractive appearance ; the last has short stamens, 

 with dingy filaments, and a very common-place appearance. The 

 Herefordshire plant has the ovate leaves of media, and the unattrac- 

 tive inflorescence of lanceolata ; both which species abound in the 

 same neighbourhood. This record is merely episodical : may it 

 induce a competent botanist to investigate the subject. 



" Plantago lanceolata. Rib Grass : Kemps. Common in mea- 

 dows and pastures. June. — Sown with other ' artificial grasses,' and 

 eaten with great avidity by all sorts of cattle. — It is customary with 

 children to challenge each other to try the ' Kemps.' A kemp con- 

 sists of the stalk and the head or spike. Of these an equal number 

 is skilfully selected by the opposed parties ; then one is held out to 

 be struck at with one from the opponent's parcel, which is thrown 

 aside if decapitated, but if not, is used to give a stroke in return. 

 Thus with alternate strokes given and received, the boys proceed 

 until all the Kemps but one are beheaded, and he who has the entire 

 Kemp considers himself the victor. Kemp is synonymous with hero 

 or champion. But the practice has also given to the plant the name of 

 Figktee- Cocks amongst the children in Berwick and its vicinity ; and 

 in Durham Cock-fighters. 



" It was once, and perhaps still is, a custom in Berwickshire to 

 practise divination by means of Kemps. Two spikes were taken in 

 full bloom ; and being bereft of every appearance of blow, they were 

 wrapt in a dock-leaf and put below a stone. One of them represented 

 the lad, the other the lass. They were examined next morning, and 

 if both spikes appeared in blossom, then there was to be ' aye love 

 between them twae ;' if none, the ' course of true love' was not 'to 

 run smooth.' The appeal, however, generally ended as the parties 

 wished, for, since it is the rule, in the inflorescence of spikes, that the 

 florets blow in succession, the being laid beneath a stone would have 

 little influence in retarding the normal expansion of them, if ready 

 for development. The same, or a similar, superstition prevails in 

 some parts of England : thus Clare in his ' Shepherd's Calendar :' — 



' Now young girls whisper things of love, 

 And from the old dame's hearing move ; 

 Oft making " love-knots " in the shade, 

 Of blue-green oat or vvhcaten blade : 

 Or, trying simple charms and spells 

 Which rural superstition tells, 

 They pull the little blossom threads. 

 From out the knot-weed's l)utt()u heads, 



