348 Old Time Gardens 



Tongue plant, I here give its botanical name Chrys- 

 anthemum balsamita, var. tanacetoides. A far more 

 popular Sunday posy than any blossom was a sprig 

 of Southernwood, known also everywhere as Lad's- 

 love, and occasionally as Old Man and Kiss-me- 

 quick-and-go. It was also termed Meeting plant 

 from this universal Sunday use. 



A restless little child was once handed during 

 the church services in summer a bunch of Cara- 

 way seeds, and a goodly sprig of Southernwood. 

 The little girl's mother listened earnestly to the 

 long sermon, and was horrified at its close to find 

 that her child had eaten the entire bunch of Caraway, 

 stems and seeds, and all the bitter Southernwood. 

 She was hurried out of church to the village doctor's, 

 and spent a very unhappy hour or two as the result 

 of her Nebuchadnezzar-like gorging. 



Like many New Englanders, I dearly love the 

 scent of Southernwood : 



" I'll give to him 



Who gathers me, more sweetness than he knows 

 Without me more than any Lily could, 

 I, that am flowerless, being Southernwood." 



Southernwood bears a balmier breath than is 

 ever borne by many blossoms, for it is sweet with 

 the fragrance of memory. The scent that has 

 been loved for centuries, the leaves that have been 

 pressed to the hearts of fair maids, as they ques- 

 tioned of love, are indeed endeared. 



Southernwood was a plant of vast powers. It 

 was named in the fourteenth century as potent to 



