IN THE MEADOWS. 79 



stems from eight to ten inches high. They form a 

 conspicuous object in the meadows, and are great 

 favourites with children, who like the pungent leaves, 

 which have the taste of cress. Indeed, one of its old 

 names was the wild watercress. 



The spring sun gets warmer towards the end of 

 April, and then we may look for the fragrant Cowslip 

 (Primula veris) and its larger relative, the yellow Oxlip 

 (Primula elatior"). The latter is, however, compara- 

 tively scarce, and appears to partake equally of the 

 character of the primrose and the cowslip. The latter 

 is the loved of the villagers, for they make tea of the 

 dried flower-pips, and wine from them when gathered 

 fresh. The village damsels use it also as a cosmetic, and 

 we know it adds to the beauty of the complexion of 

 the town-immured lassie when she searches for and 

 gathers it herself in the early spring morning. The old 

 names of the cowslip were "petty mullein " and "palsy- 

 wort;" the latter name is preserved by the French. 

 Cowslips form no insignificant feature in the May gar- 

 lands, and when intermingled with the flowers of the 

 purple orchis, or the handsome flowers of the Bugle 

 (Ajuga reptans), which grows not only in the meadows, 

 but its creeping root finds its way to the spinney, and 



