170 COMPOSITE. 



smell and flavour, and in old times was made into a pudding on 

 Easter day, the custom, doubtless, having its origin in the 

 " bitter herbs " of the Passover. 



After the Tansy family comes that of the Wormwood. 

 The common Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), is a member of 

 its family. It is a tall plant, with twice-pinnate leaves, dark 

 green above, and white below. The heads are ovate, and of a 

 brownish colour. It grows in hedges and waste places. The 

 common people used to have a superstitious reverence for this 

 plant, and believed that so long as they carried a piece of it 

 about with them they would feel no fatigue. It is used instead 

 of Hops for making beer in Sweden. My plant grew near 

 little Ouseburn, in Yorkshire. 



The common Wormwood (A. absinthium), grows about 

 villages in Yorkshire, and abounds in cottage gardens. The 

 leaves are all clothed with silky down, and the round heads of 

 flowers droop. The whole plant has a bitter scent. It is still 

 used as an emetic medicine in country places. Last year I was 

 very ill for some time, my worst symptoms being violent and 

 continuous sickness. The day after this was allayed, a stout 

 servant girl arrived from a neighbouring farm, with " Missus's 

 respects, and if the lady will take a pint of Wormwood tea, 

 it will be sure to cure her outright." A large bundle of the 

 herb was presented along with the message. 



The Field Wormwood (A. campestris), is peculiar to the 



eastern counties. The stem is procumbent, and it is scentless. 



The Upright Sea Wormwood (A. gallica), was given to me 



by the obliging curator of the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. It 



closely resembles the common Wormwood. 



Fanny found the Sea Wormwood (A. maritima), or Southern- 

 wood in a salt marsh near Clevedon. The foliage is covered 

 with white silky hairs, and the plant has a very aromatic 

 scent. The flower- clusters droop, and the heads are pale and 

 inconspicuous. This is closely allied to the " Lads' love and 

 Lasses' delight " of village gardens. 



