HERBS. 191 



ploughed fields of Surrey, and must be a great trouble 

 to the farmers, for the land is sometimes quite hidden 

 by it. 



In the adjoining water tank are the principal flowers 

 and plants which flourish in brook, river, and pond. 

 This yellow iris flowers in many streams about London, 

 and the water parsnip's pale green foliage waves at 

 the very bottom, for it will grow with the current 

 right over it as well as at the side. Water plantain 

 grows in every pond near the metropolis; there is 

 some just outside these gardens, in a wet ha-ha. 



The huge water docks in the centre here flourish at 

 the verge of the adjacent Thames ; the marsh marigold, 

 now in seed, blooms in April in the damp furrows of 

 meadows close up to town. But in this flower-pot, 

 sunk so as to be in the water, and yet so that the rim 

 may prevent it from spreading and coating the entire 

 tank with green, is the strangest of all, actually 

 duckweed. The still ponds, always found close to 

 cattle yards, are in summer green from end to end with 

 this weed. I recommend all country folk who come 

 up to town in summer time to run down here just to 

 see duckweed cultivated once in their lives. 



In front of an ivy -grown museum there is a kind of 

 bowling-green, sunk somewhat below the general 

 surface, where in similar beds may be found the most 

 of those curious old herbs which for seasoning or salad, 

 or some use or superstition, were famous in ancient 

 English households. Not one of them but has its 

 associations. " There's rue for you," to begin with ; 

 we all know who that herb is for ever connected 

 with. 



