PLUMS SPIEJEAS. 95 



ing, its abundant blossoms appearing before the leaf-buds, in 

 March, about the time when the east winds set in. On this 

 account a cold spring is called a " Blackthorn winter." In 

 Wiltshire I remember finding bushes in the hedgerows covered 

 with the keenly-acid blue-black fruit of this shrub. They were 

 beyond my reach, so I called a labourer working in the field, 

 and asked him to gather some for me. It was long before 

 I could make him understand which object in the hedge had 

 excited my desire ; and when at last he comprehended me, he 

 exclaimed in supreme contempt " I could not go for to think 

 that you could be a wanting of snags ! " Such is the provincial 

 term for the Sloe. The French adulterate port wine with 

 this fruit, and also pickle it green, like Olives. 



The Meadow Sweet group (Spiraeacese), contains but one 

 British family. The common Meadow Sweet (Spiraea ulmaria), 

 is easy to find, its powerful scent being perceived from afar, 

 even were its clusters of numerous white feathery flowers less 

 conspicuous. The French call it " Eeine des pres," and its ex- 

 cessive fragrance makes it indeed worthy to be a queen. But 

 the powerful scent is not wholesome, for I have read of children 

 who have kept a quantity in their little bedroom being found 

 insensible in the morning. The other members of this family 

 call themselves Dropworts. They are both of them scarce. 



The Common Dropwort (S. filipendula), grows on the ser- 

 pentine cliffs in the Lizard district; Fanny got specimens 

 from thence last July. It is a smaller plant than the Meadow 

 Sweet, and has little scent ; its leaves are more or less pinnate 

 not merely deeply serrated as in the former plant. 



The third Spiraea attains the stature of a shrub ; its leaves 

 are simply lance-shaped, evenly serrated, and smooth. Its 

 flowers are pink, and grow on a smaller, more regular cluster 

 than those of its brethren. These specimens come from the 

 neighbourhood of the English Lakes . 



The Willow-leaved Dropwort (S. salicifolia), is rare in its 

 wild state, but frequent in shrubberies. 



