64 



Irish : ciicumhar (O'Reilly), cucumber, said to be derived from 

 the Celtic word aic (Gaelic, ciiach), a hollow thing. In some 

 species the rind becomes hard when dried, and is used as a cup. 

 Latin : n/curbita, a derivative from the Celtic. (See Loudon.) 

 Welsh : chwerw ddwfr = water-sour. 



Cucumis melo — Melon. Gaelic and Irish : vieal-bhiic, from 

 vicl or ìììdl (Greek, /AeXcv, an apple), and hue, size, bulk. Ac- 

 cording to Brockie, " mealbhiicain (plural), round fruit covered 

 with warts or pimples." Mileog, a small melon. 



UrTICACE/'E. 



Urtica — A word formed from Latin : in-o, to burn. 



■ ,. . i — Nettle (Anglo-Saxon, ;/rt'rt'/, a needle). Gaelic 



and Irish : feaunfag, iicandog,^ dcaiiiifag, ionfag, ii/iifag (from 

 feannfa, flayed, pierced, pinched^^rir;///, to flay, on account of 

 its blistering effects on the skin ; aug, a sting ; iongna, nails). 

 Latin : 7/?igiics. 



"Sealbhaichidh an t' ionntagach." — HoSEA. 

 The nettles shall possess them. 



To this day it is boiled in the Highlands and in Ireland by 

 the country people in the spring-time. Till tea became the 

 fashion, nettles were boiled in meal, and made capital food. 

 Caol-fàil — caol, slender; fàl, spite, malice. In the Hebrides 

 often called sradag (a spark), from the sensation (like that from 

 a fiery spark) consequent upon touching. (Stuart.) 



Cannabis sativa — Hemp. Gaelic and Irish : -caineab, the 

 same as cannabis, and said to be originally derived from Celtic, 

 can, white ; but the plant has been known to the Arabs from 

 time immemorial under the name oi guaneb. Corcacii, hemp. 



"Buill do' n chaol chòrcaidh." — M 'Donald. 

 Tackling of hempen ropes. 

 Welsh : cynarch. 



Parietaria officinalis — Wall pellitory. Gaelic and Irish: 

 Ills a bhallaidh, from balladh (Latin, valluin ; Irish, balla), a 

 wall. A weed which is frequently found on or beside old walls 

 or rubbish heaps, hence the generic name "parietaria," from 



1 '■'■ Neandog, the common name for it in Ireland. In feminine nouns, the 

 first consonant (letter) after the article an (the) is softened in sound. 'An 

 feanntag' — 'f when affected loses its soimd, and 'N' is sounded instead: 

 'N (fkantog.'" — Canon Bourke. 



