GEEEK VALERIAS 



Foli.'iinui'tiint rc/jfin/s. 



HAT is the Greek valeviau '^ It 

 appears that noliodj' knows. 

 The ancients who wrote about 

 jilants were not at all troubled 

 with scientific notions. Poor 

 things ! tliey did " allium call 

 their onions and their leeks," 

 for alliinii was part of their 

 vulg-ar tongue, or if it was 

 not, it was vulgar enough for 

 those old Romans who were 

 not known as " ancients." The 

 /i/iii or valerian of the Greek 

 writers was a plant of some 

 soi't, and Polciiioiini III nrnili'ii in 

 and Fiilriiiiiii I II III ri'pfiiii.'i have 

 (•quallv been mistaken for it ; 

 but neither <:)f these was the 

 Simon pure. 



As regards the plant before ns, which may be called 

 a chip from .Tacol/s ladder, inasmuch as it is the Ijrother 

 or sister plant to Pnleiinni'i ii m r/fnili'inn, the claims it has 

 to be regarded as the Cireek valerian disa]i]iear before the 

 negative truth of its absolute usele^sness. Greek botanj 



