THE VIRTUES OF PERIWINKLE 95 



We occasionally find the two periwinkles with 

 variegated leaves, but this is either a natural sport 

 or, more ordinarily, a not altogether desirable bit of 

 interference of the florists. 



In our copy of the " Historic of Plants " of 

 Dodoens' edition of 1586, " set forth from the 

 Douch or Almaigne toong into English by 

 Lyte," we find several "vertues" ascribed to the 

 "peruincle" from the healing of "the stinging of 

 venomous beasts " down to toothache. Anything 

 that was a specific for the poison of a tiger or the 

 sting of a lion would clearly be of immense value to 

 explorers, and if our home-grown pangs of toothache 

 could be alleviated it would, on the principle of the 

 greatest happiness of the largest number being of 

 prime importance, be of even more value. 



The two periwinkles have a certain astringency 

 that has made them acceptable in the rustic flora 

 medica, though they occupy no place in the 

 professional pharmacopoeia. An ointment from the 

 leaves is largely used, the fresh tops of the flower- 

 ing stems being chopped and set simmering in a 

 pipkin with some lard. 



The columbine is a flower that we grow freely, as, 

 whether we find it a mass of blossom or a rosette of 

 foliage, it is alike pleasing, and even after the flowers 

 have passed away the quaint seed-vessels that 

 succeed them have an interest of their own. In 

 the hands of the gardener it is a plant that has 



