COMMON BOH AGE. —Boraj^o officinalis. 



Class Pentandria . Order Monogtnia. Nat. Qrd. Boragine^. 

 Borage Tribe. 



This bri2:lit azure blossom rears itself from 

 the Leap of rubbish on the waste places of 

 our land, but is not a very common plant 

 there. It is far more often one of the orna- 

 ments of the cottage garden ; and rightly is it 

 planted, for it is one of the flowers in which 

 bees especially delight, and they are said to 

 derive more nourishment from it than from 

 any flower which blows. The brilhant blue 

 petals with their prominent stamens, open to 

 the sun in June and July. The whole plant 

 is covered with rough stifi' hairs, and the young 

 buds are enclosed in cups of a reddish tinge. 

 The Borage has rather an unpleasant odour. 

 The Erencli call it Borrago, and both their 

 name and ours are corruptions of the old word 

 Corago, which was taken from cor, the heart, 

 because of its cordial qualities. In days when 

 old proverbs Avere in daily use, one of the 

 common adages recorded the supposed virtues 

 of this plant: "I Borage bring courage;" 



