IN THE WOODLANDS. 6? 



black pepper, which were for a long time a favourite 

 purgative medicine. The colour known as sap green 

 is prepared from the fresh berries. The Privet 

 (Liyustrum vulgare), so common in hedgerows and 

 shrubberies, shows its white clusters in May. 



One of the most common of woodland flowers is the 

 Stitchwort (Stellaria Tiolostea). It is found also in 

 the hedgerows, and is known by the names of satin- 

 flower and adder's-meat. It has a long straggling 

 quadrangular stem of a delicate and brittle structure, 

 with grass-like leaves. The large, panicled, lustrous 

 white flowers are not much smaller than a primrose. 

 There are half a dozen kinds of Stellaria, but this is 

 the largest: the common Chickweed (8. media) is 

 amongst the number. 



How different in foliage, if not in colour, is the 

 broad-leaved Garlic (Allium ursinuni), which at first 

 sight is often mistaken for the lily of the valley! The 

 amateur field botanist is apt to rejoice over the beau- 

 tiful umbel of white flowers, in shape not much unlike 

 the star of Bethlehem ; but the beauty of the flowers 

 is counteracted by the strong garlic-like odour of the 

 plant. It is the Eanaoms of our ancestors, who thought 

 that it gave a relish to their meat and had a salutary 



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