JUNE. 109 



but this flavour is quite removed by blanching. 

 The plant is a common chsh in several of the 

 Mediterranean islands, and in Zante it is very- 

 general on the table in spring. In the year 

 1685, the injuries done by the swarms of 

 locusts to the vegetation of the island of INIi- 

 norca was so great, that the inhabitants were m 

 a melancholy state of destitution, and were 

 saved from starvation, entirely by meefns of 

 this common wild flower. 



The sweet-scented convolvulus (Convolvobis 

 arvensis) hangs its delicate pink bells on the 

 wheat-stalk, and the large white flowers of the 

 larger bind-weed {Calystegia sepiuni) are wind- 

 ing among the bushes ; and, by their side, 

 sometimes springs tlie enchanter's nightshade, 

 a plant with small pink flowers and heart- 

 shaped leaves, found chiefly in damp and shady 

 places. 



The yellow agrimony (Jgnmotiia eupatorid) 

 blows both in June and July. The most fre- 

 quent {daces of its growth are field-borders 

 and road-sides. The flower has a sweet scent 

 hke that of an apricot, which is stronger 

 when the plant is bruised ; and, in early spring, 

 before the appearance of the blossom, the root 

 is also aromatic. Country people make much 

 use of this plant both as an external apjjlica- 

 tion and a medicine. It was formerly e^Jteu- 

 sively prescribed by physicians as a tonic, and 

 considered by Dr. Hunter a valuable remedy 

 in disorders of the skin. It is thought by 

 some writers to be the flower called by the 



