AUGUST. 163 



remainder of the species. The stem is about 

 eight inches high, terminated by a globular 

 head of blossoms, from beneath which spring 

 two or three more branches, each having a head 

 of flowers at the point, and these all rise above 

 that which terminates the main stem. The old 

 botanists called this flower, wicked herb, {Herha 

 impia,) because it conveyed the idea that children 

 were undutifuUy disposed to exalt themselves 

 al)ove the parent flower. It was also called, hve 

 long, chaff-weed, cotton-weed, and dwarf cotton. 

 The various kinds of spurge mostly produce 

 their yellowish green flowers in this and the 

 following month. The sun-spurge (Euphorbia 

 helioscopia) is common everywhere, and is a 

 good example of our native species, for they 

 are all very similar in general appearance. It 

 is found on waste-grounds, as a garden weed, 

 and in corn-fields. Its stem is so full of thick 

 white milk that it is often called churn-staff; 

 and as this liquid is a common cure for warts, 

 it will point out the plant to the reader. We 

 have fourteen wild kinds of spurge, and a num- 

 ber of exotic species have been imported, but 

 they have little beauty. The juice of all is 

 acrid, and almost all our wild spurges are poi- 

 sonous. One species, the caper-spurge, {Eu- 

 'phorbia laihi/rus,) is rare in woods, but it is 

 often planted in shrubberies. It has grey green 

 leaves, and much resembles the true caper-plant. 

 Indeed its seeds, which are about the size and 

 colour of the caper-l)ud, are pickled and used in 

 I'aris as capers ; but there is reason to- believe 



