246 DAISY. 



closing at niglit, and opening in the morning. Tims, in the " Le- 

 gende of goode Women " : 



" Of all the floures in the mede 



Than love I most these flowres white and rede, 

 Such that men call Daisies in our toun. 

 To them I have so great affectioun, 

 As I sayd erst whan comen is the 3Iaie, 

 That in my bedde there daweth me no daie, 

 Than 1 n'am up and walking in the mede 

 To see this floure agenst tlie sunne sprede, 

 Whan it upriseth early by the morrow, 

 That blissful sight softeneth all my sorrow. 

 ***** 



As soon as ever the sunne ginneth west 

 Go seen this floure how it will goe to rest, 

 For fear of night, so hateth she darknesse, 

 Her chere is plaiuly spred in the l)rightnesse 

 Of the sunne, and there it will unclose. 

 ***** 



And leaning on my elbow and my side, 

 The longe day I shope me to abide, 

 For nothing else, and I shall not lie 

 But for to look upon the daisie ; 

 That well by reason, men it call mav 

 The daisie, or else the eye of the daie, 

 The Emprise and floure of floures all 

 I pray to God that faire mote she fall, 

 And all that loven floures for her sake." 



Several varieties are cultivated in gardens, and the prolifer- 

 ous, childers, or hen and chicken daisy is very curious. The 

 plant is refused by horses, sheep, and cows. 



Qualities and general Uses. — The leaves of the daisy, 

 though somewhat acrid, have been eaten as a spring salad, or 

 boiled like spinach. A decoction of the root in milk is some- 

 times given to young puppies to obstruct their growth, but 

 with what success we cannot determine. 



The leaves and flowers, which are the parts usually employed 

 medicinally, have a sharp and somewhat astringent taste, but no 

 smell. GeofFroy* states, that they yield by analysis a con- 

 siderable portion of oil and ammoniacal salt. The sensible 

 qualities of the root, however, are far more powerful. Ac- 

 cording to Lewis -j- " it has a subtle penetrating pungency, which 

 is not dissipated by drying, is dissolved both by water and 



* Tract de Mat. Med. vol. iii. p. 170. 

 t Mat. Med. ed. Aikin, vol. i. p. 205. 



