THE HOP. 81 



purify the blood, and by their "manifest virtues 

 do argue wholesomenesse." 



The common hop (Humulus lupulus) takes its 

 name from the word humus (rich soil), of which 

 it is usually considered an indication. It is the 

 female blossom or catkin, the pale green tassels of 

 which give so exquisite a beauty to its dark and 

 graceful vine-like wreaths which is infused for 

 its flavour, whether for medicinal purposes or for 

 beer ; and the aspect of 

 the plant when wreathed 

 around the poles of a hop- 

 garden, or, better still, 

 when festooning some 

 wild untrimmed hedge, 

 cannot but be familiar 

 to the reader, and any 

 attempt to describe it 

 would but interfere with 

 the sense of its surpass- 

 ing loveliness. 



The Welsh name of 

 Llewyg y blaidd, or 



Male Flower of the Hop HOP. 



(magnified.) (Male blossom.) Humulus lupulus. 



wolf s-swoon, is evidently traceable to the same root 

 as the Latin Lupulus, though it is difficult to ascer- 



E 3 



