207 



The Forme. 



The common Sort of Perkvinckle hath many Branches, trailing 

 or running upon the ground, fhooting out fmall Fibers at the Joynts 

 as it runneth * * * and with [the leaves] come alfo the Flowers 

 (one at a joynt standing upon a tender Foot-ftalk) being fomewhar 

 long and hollow, parted at the brims, fometimes into four, fometimes 

 into five leaves, of a pale blew colour. The Root is not much bigger 

 then a Rufh, bufhing in the ground, and creeping with his Branches 

 far about, whereby it quickly poffeffeth a great compaffe, and is 

 therefore moft ufually planted under hedges, where it may have 

 room to run up upon the fticks, which it doth encompaffe, and bind 

 over and over, and is perhaps from thence called Vinca Per winca. 



The Vertues. 



* * * It is likewife good againft the biting of Adders, being 

 bruised, and applyed to the place, efpecially if the infufion thereof 

 in Vinegar be taken inwardly. Parkinson faith, it is a tradition with 

 many, that a wreath made hereof, and worn about the Legs, de- 

 fendeth them from the Cramp ; by which words he feemeth in my 

 judgment, to doubt of the truth thereof; but indeed, he needed not fo 

 to do ; for I knew a friend of mine who was very vehemently tor- 

 mented with the cramp, for a long while, which could be by no 

 means eafed, till he had wrapped some of the Branches hereof about 

 his Legs * * * . Mr. Culpepper writeth that Venus owns this Herb, 

 and saith. That the Leaves eaten by Man and Wife together, caufe 

 love, which is a rare quality indeed if it be true. 



( To be concluded. ) 



SHORTER NOTES 



The Catherine McManes Fund. — The fund announced in 

 ToRREYA two years ago which has since provided the unusual 

 number of illustrations has been renewed; one hundred dollars 

 has been given for the coming year and another hundred is 

 promised for the year following. This fund has made it possible 

 to print many papers for which the authors demanded illustra- 

 tions, and it is hoped that the fund will help make Torreya more 

 desirable, both to readers and contributors. 



The geographical distribution of Lespedeza striata. This 

 native of eastern Asia was introduced into North America 

 during the first half of the last century, and at once established 

 itself as a naturalized member of our flora. Just how early the 



