THE MISTLETOE. 163 



if it grows on the oak and I would go a consider- 

 able distance to see it it is very scarce, and in that 

 case it must have been its very scarceness which 

 caused the Druids of old to worship and venerate it 

 when they found it. 



The large quantities of mistletoe which make their 

 appearance at Christmastide in the markets of our cities 

 and towns are in a great measure derived from the 

 Continent, where it is abundant, especially, I believe, in 

 Normandy. In England, the south-western counties are 

 most famous for it. That it will grow in North Staffordshire 

 which I believe has hitherto been looked upon as somewhat 

 doubtful, I have only to say to the members present, 

 Circumspice.* 



As to the name, which is variously spelt mistletoe, 

 misteltoe, misletoe, missletoe, misseltoe, the derivation is 

 doubtful, and is given differently by different etymologists. 

 Perhaps as good as any is that given in Chambers's 

 Dictionary, where it is derived from " mistel, which is 

 probably the Latin viscus, bird-lime, and teinn, Anglo- 

 Saxon tan, a twig or sprout ; " or the latter part of the 

 word may be ta or toe, being that part of the bird 

 which is caught by the birdlime. The Anglo-Saxon 

 form of the word is mistelta ; the German, mistel ; the 

 Icelandic, misteltein. 



*XoxE. This paper was read in the Vicarage garden at Madeley, where 

 many plants of mistletoe may be seen growing luxuriantly on apple, 

 hawthorn, &c., all of which have been raised artificially. A single female 

 plant has flourished there for many years, but berries have only been 

 obtained some eight or nine years, a considerable interval having elapsed 

 after the the first plant was raised before a fresh sowing was made. 



