218 PRE-SAXON CIVILIZATION IN DORSET. 



Woad, Isatis tinctoria, does not grow wild in Dorset. It 

 has given its name to Glastonbury in Somerset (Glastum from 

 glas, blue) because of its fields of woad ; its original name 

 being Glastum sativum. It is a biennial, so would quickly 

 die out when not cultivated. 



Many of the most abundant flowers have been given the 

 prefix of some animal or bird. Those named after the dog 

 impty that it has not much value, but grows in great profusion. 

 The dog violet is most abundant, but scentless ; the dog 

 mercury grows freely, but is useless ; dog roses have many 

 thorns and grow high above reach. 



Cowslips bloom when cows go out to grass ; cow wheat has 

 a seed of no food value, but cow parsley and pig parsley are 

 delectable fodder. Buttercups grow in good pasture land, 

 bull rushes are large and unapproachable in their marshy 

 surroundings. 



The calf's snout appears on arable land ; hart's tongue 

 and adder's tongue ferns are found in moist places. Cat's 

 tails festoon the hazel bushes, and a humble mouse-ear 

 frequents waste places. 



A flower with the prefix horse shows that it is a large 

 one. The large field daisy is a horse daisy. Horse radish 

 has a coarse leaf and root. Colt's foot and horse tails are 

 gross growing and troublesome weeds. 



Birds, too, have their special flowers. There is a lark spur, 

 a crane's bill, a crow foot, and goose grass. 



The cuckoo's arrival is heralded by two flowers called 

 cuckoo flowers (lady's smocks and wood sorrel) and by the 

 cuckoo pint (arum maculatum). 



Snakes, too, have their flowers. The stitchwort makes a 

 pleasant bed for them. Snakes' weed has a twisted root, 

 and the snake's head fritillary has very similar mottled 

 markings. 



All these pleasant familiar names must be of great antiquity, 

 for they are in general use, and modern scientific botanists 

 have wisely retained them, knowing that no Latin names 

 could replace them. 



