174 The Evolution of Botany. 



properties to the mistletoe, aconite, and samolus or water- 

 pimpernel, and describes some of the ceremonies observed 

 in their collection. The mistletoe had to be cut with a knife 

 the blade of which was of gold ; it needed to be collected 

 when the moon was six days old. No one else than a priest 

 was allowed to do the collecting, and for that purpose he 

 was clad in white. The plant had to be so cut that it would 

 fall into a white cloth which was always kept in readiness. 

 Lastly, two oxen had to be sacrificed ; and when the mistle- 

 toe was thus consecrated it was a remedy for barrenness and 

 an antidote to poison. 



The aconite (probably not identical with that we know to- 

 day), after a previous sacrifice of honey, had to be collected 

 in total darkness when neither sun nor moon shone, and the 

 cutting had to be done with the left hand after a circle had 

 been described around the plant. So collected, the plant 

 would conquer fevers, neutralize snake-poison, and serve as 

 an enchantment to gain the friendship of others. 



The selago (probably one of our sedums) could not be cut 

 with an iron knife without destroying its good properties, 

 nor could it be touched with the bare hand. The collector 

 had to array himself in white and perform the ceremonies 

 which the superstition of the people prescribed, in bare 

 feet, regardless of the possibilities of catching cold. If 

 collected in this manner, and in this manner only, it would 

 cure diseased eyes and serve as a charm against acci- 

 dents. 



Not alone the Druids, but it is fair to assume that all the 

 primitive races knew a little concerning plants ; there has 

 been until now no nation discovered which was indifferent 

 or negligent enough to have ignored health so much that 

 it was not familiar with at least a few remedial agents 

 Knowing something of the medicinal properties of plants 

 implied as a consequence some knowledge of the physical 

 properties as well ; the ancients knew, for instance, that a 

 plant collected at a certain time would be more active than 

 if gathered at other times. They were familiar with the ex- 

 ternal appearance of these plants, and though they could not 

 describe them as intelligently as we can, they yet must have 

 had a way of communicating to each other the nature of a 

 plant newly discovered to have remedial or nourishing value. 

 In thus communicating with each other they must have in- 

 vented and used terms of a descriptive nature, and descrip- 

 tive botany would have been the first department of botany 



