108 FAMILIAR WILD FLOWEES. 



thorn that has been the subject of many legends, the 

 current belief, however, being- that it sprang from the 

 staff of Joseph of Arimathea, who, it is asserted, was 

 the first preacher of Christianity to Britain, and who, to 

 convince the benighted islanders of his mission, thrust 

 his staff into the ground, where it at once budded and 

 blossomed. The tree has ever since flowered, not only 

 at its proper season, but also at each Christmas, the 

 anniversary of its miraculous origin. A piece that came 

 under our notice on December 16th had eight bunches or 

 corymbs of flowers on it, each of these was composed of 

 from twenty :to thirty blossoms and buds, about a dozen 

 of the flowers in each corymb being fully expanded. 

 The blossoms were a little smaller than would ordinarily 

 be looked for, but had all the beauty and regularity of 

 form and the characteristic hawthorn scent of the normal 

 plant. The only thing abnormal in the appearance of 

 the spray was the absence of the foliage. The Glaston- 

 bury thorn is not absolutely unique, some few others, as 

 at Romney, and near Nantwich, possess the same pecu- 

 liarity of flowering twice, first in May and again about 

 the end of the year. 



