BOTANY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 81 



late and Orange trees are here, with the far- 

 famed St. John's Worts, which were formerly 

 held in great esteem for their healing virtues, 

 but have now fallen into disuse. The Druids 

 used them in their incantations, and from them 

 superstitious observances have descended among 

 the poorer classes of England and other Euro- 

 pean countries. The peasant girls in Lower 

 Saxony have a superstitious practice of gather- 

 ing the flower on midsummer night, and prog- 

 nosticating the prosperous or adverse fortune of 

 the coming year, by the state of the gathered 

 branches the next morning. The Welsh also 

 hold this plant in high regard, and no doubt de- 

 rive their superstitious reverence of it from the 

 Druids, who tanked it amongst their sacred 

 plants and made use of it in some of their mys- 

 tic rites. 



L. SONG OF THE POLYADELPHIAN TRIBES. 



Come follow Hypericum's golden star, 

 It will lead to where happiness dwells afar, 



With nature in peaceful shades ; 

 It will lead to the green hills flowery brow, 

 Or by hedge-row paths in the vales below, 



Or through turfy forest glades. 

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