AUGUST. 169 



As lady's laces, everlasting peas, 



True-love lies bleeding, with the hearts at ease; 



And (golden rods, and tansy running high. 



That o'er the pale-top smiled on passer-by ; 



Flowers in my time, that every one would praise, 



Though thrown, like weeds, from gardens now-a-days." 



On a few sandy soils may now also be seen 

 the plant called field- southemiwood, {Artemisia 

 cauipesfris,) with its smooth green leaves and 

 whitish flowers. It has been found chiefly on 

 some lands of Norfolk and Suffolk, especially 

 near Thctford and Bury. Then the old village 

 remedy for luimerous ills — the elecampane, 

 (Inula helenium) — puts forth its bright yellow 

 stars in the moist pasture or hedge. This 

 is one of the largest of our wild flowers ; and 

 it was formerly much esteemed for its tonic 

 properties. Its root is glutinous and aromatic ; 

 and from it is made tlie candied sweetmeat, 

 called elecampane. The whole plant is downy, 

 and its stem is about five or six feet high. A 

 good blue dye exists in its juices. 



The May-weed {Pyrethrum inodorum) is so 

 truly an autumnal flower, that it is little enti- 

 tled to its spring-like name. In August and 

 September, wlicn the corn is being cut down, and 

 ifter it is gleaned, the fields are full of it ; and 

 it may be commonly seen as late as Pecembor, 

 looking, indeed, somewhat the worse for wind 

 and weather at that season, though in August 

 it is a pretty flower. Notwithstanding its Latin 

 specific name, it is slightly scented, and is con- 

 sidered to possess some good tonic properties. 



One beautiful flower, growing by the river- 

 side in this month, is very general and very 



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