104 



FAMILIAR WILL FLOWERS. 



mediaeval misconception been given to a plant altogether 

 innoxious. The bladder campion is in some parts of 

 the country called white-bottle. We are told by some 

 authorities that the young shoots of the plant may be 

 used as a substitute for asparagus, but on the whole 

 we should think asparagus as a substitute for campion 

 would be preferable. The leaves, too, are said to be 

 not unpalatable when boiled, but we imagine there is 

 much more theory than practice in these recommenda- 

 tions ; we can hardly imagine any one laboriously blanching 

 the young shoots, or filling a basket by slow degrees with 

 the foliage of the plant. The bladder campion, though 

 commonly distributed, is not to be found in abundance in 

 every pasture ; and those who would desire to collect its 

 leaves would have to wander throughout a long summer's 

 afternoon before the basket got filled. " It is said to be so 

 effectual against the scorpion, that this herbe cast upon one 

 doth make him of no force to envenome any/' A plant so 

 potent may be well content to forego culinary fame. 



