HERBALS OF THE NEW WORLD 135 



a list of plants peculiar to New England, with a long descrip- 

 tion of " Indian wheat," of which " the Flower [flour] makes 

 excellent Puddens." Another plant described at length is 

 the hollow-leaved lavender, but it is difficult to identify it 

 from the illustration. The most interesting part of this list is 

 that consisting of plants to which no English names had yet 

 been given. 



It is hard to believe that before the Pilgrim Fathers landed 

 some of the commonest weeds were unknown in their new country. 

 Yet we have John Josselyn's list of these, and it includes couch- 

 grass, shepherd's purse, dandelion, groundsel, sow-thistle, sting- 

 ing-nettle, mallows, plantain, wormwood, chickweed, mullein, 

 knot-grass and comfrey. The plantain, one always learnt as a 

 child, follows the English colonist wherever he goes, and there 

 is curious confirmation in Josselyn's note that the Indians 

 called this familiar weed " ' Englishman's Foot/ as though it were 

 produced by their treading." But the most fascinating list 

 of all is that of the English garden-plants which those early 

 settlers tried to grow, and it is impossible to read it without 

 realising the loving care which must have been lavished on the 

 southernwood, rosemary, lavender, and other plants imported 

 from English gardens, which survived the long journey only 

 to succumb to the rigours of the New England winter. There 

 is something so naive and appealing about this list, the first 

 gardening link, as it were, between England and America, that 

 I give it in full as it stands in the original : 



Cabbidge growes there exceeding well 



Lettice 



Parsley, Marygold, French Mallowes, Chervil, Burnet, 



Winter Savory, Summer Savory, Time, Sage, Carrots. 



Parsnips of a prodigous size, 



Red Beetes, 



Radishes 



Purslain 



