76 



WHITE DEAD NETTLE. 



The white species is the Ortie blanche of the 

 French, and the Ortlca morta of the Italians 

 It is refused bj cattle, but in Sweden both 

 this and the Red Dead iXettle are boiled for 

 the table. 



The other species are aU of a reddish purple 

 hue. One kind, the Red Dead Nettle, {Lamiim 

 p/o-pia-e/wi,) is very often in flower as early as 

 February and is always plentiful m March 

 It must be well known to every person who 

 notices wild flowers, for there is not a hed^e 

 or held where it does not grow. The blossoms 

 ai-e in shape like those of the engraving but 

 much smaller. A similar, but taOer species 

 grows a so in cultivated lauds, in May and 

 June, called the Cut-leaved Dead Nettle (Za- 

 mium wcisum) ; and the Henbit Nettle (Zamimu 

 amjjlewtcaide), with flowers of a much brighter 

 red IS common in March and April in sandy 

 fields and gardens The only remaining species, 

 the Spotted Dead Nettle, {Lamium mamLum,) 

 IS a rare flower. 



