134 THE MUSIC OF WILD FLOWERS 



one of the most elegant of British wild flowers, and gives 

 grace and distinction to any wood where it may be 

 found. It attracted the notice of the early botanists, 

 who consistently speak of it under the name of 

 Solomon's-seal. The plant, it appears, was regarded 

 as a conspicuous example of " the doctrine of signa- 

 tures," the idea, namely, that " God Almightie, who 

 maketh grasse to growe upon the mountains and herbes 

 for the use of men, hath given to plants particular 

 sygnatures, whereby a man may read in legible char- 

 acters the use of them." The legible character of the 

 Solomon's-seal was to be found in the rootstock, which, 

 if cut across, would be seen to resemble a signum or seal. 

 Hence the plant was of " singular virtue in sealing up 

 wounds," and taketh away, says an old herbalist, " in 

 one night, or two at the most, any bruise, blacke or 

 blew spots, gotten by falls, or women's wilfulnesse in 

 stumbling upon their hasty husbands fists or such like." 

 It is curious how sometimes a choice plant will be 

 found in a single wood and yet be entirely absent else- 

 where in the neighbourhood. The beautiful snowflake, 

 with its terminal cluster of pure white flowers tipped 

 with green, is doubtless familiar to those Berkshire folk 

 who dwell on the banks of the Loddon ; but in the 

 neighbouring county of Hampshire it is supposed to be 

 unknown. There is, however, one lonely wood, in the 

 southern part of the county, where the Leucojum 

 cestivum, L., as the plant is called by botanists, may be 

 seen in flower every May. It is not indeed generally 

 distributed over the wood, but is confined to one par- 

 ticular corner, and well I remember my surprise when 

 some seasons ago I happened to light upon it. To all 

 appearances the locality was a natural one. The 



