JULY. 147 



The flowers in the wood are also few now, 

 compared with thosv; of the earUer months. 

 The tall teasel {Dipsacus fullonum) shows 

 itself almost like a young shrub ; and that 

 pretty low flower, the red centaury, {Enjthrcea 

 cenfaunum,) — its red blossoms growing in clus- 

 ters, and shaped something like those of the 

 garden jessamine, though smaller — is very com- 

 mon, both in woods, and on dry pastures. Its 

 bitter principle is said to be equal to that of 

 the gentian. This flower closes so early that 

 only those who walk in the former part of the 

 day see its beauty. By twelve o'clock it begins 

 to shut up, and if a cloud is on the sky, it 

 does not open at all. This is evidently because 

 of the moisture of the atmosphere, even when 

 it is not perceptible to us; for if the flower be 

 taken in-doors and placed near a fire, it will 

 expand fully. 



The Avood sage, (TeucHum scorodonia,) a 

 common })lant with spikes of green flowers, 

 tinged with a brown hue, is now very plentiful 

 on dry grounds. It has leaves wrinkled like 

 those of the garden sage, and so bitter that 

 they are very suitable for the purpose of 

 mingling with hops in making beer — a use 

 to which they are continually applied by the 

 Swede, and sometimes by the English cottager. 

 The betony, too, {Betonica officinaUs,) is very 

 generally in flower in this month. This flower 

 lias somewhat the appearance of the red dead 

 nettles, though its purplish red l)lossoms are 

 lighter and brighter than theirs. In some 



