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NATURE-STUDY REVIEW 



[12:9— Dec, 1916 



"The marigold that goes to bed with the sun 

 And with him rises weeping." 



In Cymbeline II-3-25 : 



"And winking Mary buds begin 

 To ope their golden eyes." 



We must grant that Shakespeare was a close observer of the habits 

 of this flower: In one of the sonnets (25) he writes: 



"Great princes' favorites their fair leaves spread. 

 But as the marigolds at the sun's eye." 



It is probable that the plant mentioned was that known to us as 

 Calendula, whose common name is soup or pot marigold. Indeed 

 there is a wild flower — the marsh mari- 

 gold (not a member of Compositae) 

 which is stated by some writers to be the 

 one to wnich the poet refers. 



But not alone for beauty and bright- 

 ness was the marigold valued. Did the 

 penetrating odor suggest that there 

 might be medicinal properties? Just 

 how the notion arose, it is difficult to 

 say, but the juice extracted from the 

 flowers, doubtless by boiling, was used 

 to wash the mouth of a person suffering 

 from the toothache, and this was stated 

 to be an efficacious remedy. Knowing 

 this the thrifty housewife was careful to 

 include a goodly quantity of dried flower 

 heads among her precious winter stores. 

 Pansy. — Perhaps no flower has been 

 a more general favorite than this. 

 A great variety of popular names exist not only in English, 

 but also in French and German: Yet our readers must 

 not have in mind the large flower, whose marvelous hues, and 

 curious variegations excite admiration today. It is the small 

 flower (Viola tricolor) a relative of the violet, known to many best 

 by its name Johnny-jump-up." This grows wild in many parts of 

 Europe and is sometimes yellow, sometimes purple. Indeed, this 

 flower under the skilful cultivation of the gardener has yielded us 

 the giant types, the orchid flowered, etc. Shakespeare mentions 



The Marigold 



