CAMPANULAa 203 



rich and consistent. A small portion of this solid 

 milk acts in the same manner upon that which is 

 fresh. 



" I hope butterwort grows in England, that we 

 may get some of this solid milk," said Mary. 



" The plant grows in the northern counties, and 

 also in Scotland," said her father; "but I have 

 never heard of any attempt to put it to the use 

 described by Linnaeus. But we now arrive at the 

 bell-flowers, a tribe that I know will please you, 

 containing, as it does, the little harebell of the 

 downs, and the various CAMPANULAS of the gardens, 

 blue and white." 



" I like them very much," said Mary ; " but I 

 cannot take so much pleasure in them since I have 

 heard that they are poisonous." 



" You need not be disturbed on that account," 

 said her father; "for although their juices are 

 certainly acrid, yet the root and the young shoots 

 of many species are occasionally used as food, 

 especially those of the rampion bell-flower.* But 

 I must not pause at these plants, nor at the lobe- 

 lias, which are more acrid still, nor at the valerians, 

 the roots of which have such an odd effect in 



* Campanula Rapunculus. 



