JULY. 153 



of spikes, used in the early and middle ages, 

 for throwing under the horses' feet in the field 

 of battle. This flower is the caltrops of Virgil. 



We have no less than seven native species of 

 mullein now in blossom ; the great mullein, 

 {Verbascinn thaj)sus) is one of the largest and 

 most conspicuous of our wild flowers. The 

 stems, both of this, and the hoary mullein, are 

 about four or five feet in height ; the flowers 

 grow about one or two feet down the stem, and 

 are of a pale yellow. The stem is very thick 

 and woolly, and the large leaves which grow 

 about the root, are so densely covered on both 

 surfaces with wool, that Kentish people call 

 the mullein, flannel flower ; the wool is fre- 

 quently picked off for tinder, and is recom- 

 mended by many writers, as applicable to the 

 purposes of manufacture. 



The blossoms of the great mullein are some- 

 times laid to dry in the sun, when a soft unc- 

 tuous substance exudes from them, which is 

 spread on linen, and used by "\'illagers as an ap- 

 plication to the chest. This plant was formerly 

 called high taper and torches ; and the white 

 nudlein was termed candlcweek flower. Nor 

 are they unfitted to suggest the idea of the 

 tapers which are burned before the images of 

 saints, in those countries in which men are 

 beguiled into what the apostle Paul calls "a 

 voluntary humility and worshipping of angels," 

 instead of holding the "Head of the church" as 

 their only Advocate at the throne of God's grace. 



The yellow hoary mullein {Verhascum pulve- 



