﻿Canadian Plant- Lore. 221 



still considered most useful in home pharmacy. Celandine 

 {Chelidonium majits) is much valued as the basis of an oint- 

 ment used in various malignant diseases of the skin, and it is 

 said to be a permanent cure for scrofula. The plant was 

 held in high esteem in ancient times and was very popular 

 as an eye remedy. Culpepper says the plant is called 

 celandine from .t^AiJwv, the swallow, because " if you put 

 out the eyes of young swallows, when they are in the 

 nest, the old ones will recover their eyes again with this 

 herb."^ But Gerarde assures us such " things are vain 

 and false ; for Cornelius Celses, lib. 6, witnesseth. That 

 when the sight of the eies of divers birds is put forth by 

 some outward means, it will after a time be restored 

 of it selfe, and soonest of all the sight of the swallow ; 

 whereupon (as the same author saith) the tale grew, how 

 thorow an herb the dams restore that thing which healeth 

 of it selfe."^ 



In Clarenceville, a salve made from the leaves of the 

 chamomile {Antheniis nohilis) is frequently used, though 

 it is not, as in the past, considered " a remedie against all 

 wearisomnesse."^ In the Townships, it is said that few 

 people can grow the plant, for " while some can handle it, 

 as soon as others touch it, it dies." This view is directly 

 opposed to the old English proverb, 



"Like a camomile bed, 

 The more it is trodden, 

 The more it will spread."* 



Several species of Aralia are in great repute and 

 probably do possess remedial properties. They are sought 

 not only by the Canadian " simpler," but sarsaparilla is 

 the chief ingredient of a popular patent medicine. 

 Ginseng {Aralia quinquefolia), whose roots bear a supposed 

 resemblance to the human body, was highly esteemed 



1 Culpepper's "Complete Herbal and English Physician enlarged." 

 2. 3, " The Herball or General Historie of Plants," by John Gerarde. 

 4 Dyer's Folk-Lore of Plants. 



