76 WILD FLOWEKS. 



ings in proof of the introduction of the plant at 

 any stated date. It is indigenous to our islands, 

 and wreathes with its graceful festoons over hedge- 

 rows, and moorland walls, in places hundreds of miles 

 distant from any where the plant was ever known 

 in cultivation. The so-called introduction of the 

 plant was, in reality, the introduction of its culture. 

 That it was before imported in a dried state, is shewn 

 by the conplaints made of the adulterations used by 

 " foreigners/' who mixed acid with the hops ; com- 

 plaints which, doubtless, led to its cultivation in 

 this country ; and probably, also, its importation was 

 the objectionable feature in the innocent plant, 

 which called forth such hard names and so strong 

 a prejudice against it, as its use was considered pre- 

 judicial to the interests of the ground-ivy, ale-hoof, 

 sweet-gale, or bog-myrtle,* and other plants, which 

 were previously employed to give a bitter taste 

 to British ale ; for, certainly, even a heresy in the 

 Catholic Church could scarcely have excited more 

 acrimonious feeling than the question between ale 

 and beer. 



* Each of these plants, with several others of lesser note, 

 was of great importance before the cultivation of hops. In 

 Sweden, in the year 1440, King Christopher confirmed an 

 old law, which rendered punishable by fine the offence of 

 cutting or injuring the sweet gale (Myrica gale\ or collecting 

 it on any other person's land, or gathering it on a common 

 before a stated day. There is reason to suppose that the hop 

 was at this period used to flavour beer in Sweden, but it was 

 scarce, and its use not general ; it must, however, be remem- 

 bered that the gale was protected for another purpose 

 namely, for the use of its wax-like secretion in candles. 



