WAYSIDES AND UEDGEKOWS. 4-J 



to help "weak and aking backs." Its violet'purple 

 flowers are great favourites of children. 



Close by, amid a star-shower of the seed-leaves 

 of the budding summer flowers, the dark green, 

 shining, arrow-shaped leaves of the Arum maculatum 

 start up, stalwart and strong, braving the icy east 

 wind and courting the gales of the gentle south. Once 

 seen, the arum is not soon forgotten: it is widely 

 known under its familiar name of lords and ladies, 

 cuckoo-pint, and wake-Eobin. As the spring ad- 

 vances there will arise from the centre of the clustered 

 leaves a tall wreathed column, with a sharp point, 

 which gradually unfolds and shows a singularly-shaped 

 flower known as a Spadix. The column is sometimes 

 of a pale yellow colour, but oftener of a rich purple 

 tint. At its base is a frill of imperfect stamens, and 

 below are the yellow anthers and the ring of pistillate 

 flowers. As the seasons pass on the column will die 

 away, and the anthers or ovaries of the pistillate 

 flowers become the orange-coloured berries which shine 

 brilliantly in the dull autumn weather and in the early 

 winter. Poisonous though every part of the plant is, 

 its white root, which is about the size of a pigeon's 

 egg, contains a farinaceous powder or white flour not 



