Yellow and Orange 



The literature of Europe is filled with allusions to it. Swift 

 wrote ; 



" They tell us something strange and odd 

 About a certain magic rod 

 That, bending down its top divines 

 Where'er the soil has hidden mines ; 

 Where there are none, it stands erect 

 Scorning to show the least respect." 



A good Story is told on Linnaeus in Baring-Gould's "Curious 

 Myths of the Middle Ages " : " When the great botanist was on 

 one of his voyages, hearing his secretary highly extol the virtues 

 of his divining-wand, he was willing to convince him of its in- 

 sufficiency, and for that purpose concealed a purse of one hundred 

 ducats under a ranunculus, which grew by itself in a meadow, 

 and bid the secretary find it if he could. The wand discovered 

 nothing, and Linnaeus's mark was soon trampled down by the- 

 company present, so that when he went to finish the experiment 

 by fetching the gold himself, he was utterly at a loss where to find 

 it. The man with the wand assisted him, and informed him that 

 it could not lie in the way they were going, but quite the con- 

 trary ; so they pursued the direction of the wand, and actually 

 dug out the gold. Linnaeus said that another such experiment 

 would be sufficient to make a proselyte of him." 



Many a well has been dug even in this land of liberty where 

 our witch-hazel indicated ; but here its kindly magic is directed 

 chiefly through the soothing extract distilled from its juices. 



Five-Finger; Common Cinquefoil 



{Potentilla Canadensis) Rose family 



Flowers — Yellow, ^ to ^ in. across, growing singly on long pe- 

 duncles from the leaf axils. Five petals longer than the 5 

 acute calyx lobes with 5 linear bracts between them ; about 

 20 stamens ; pistils numerous, forming a head. Stem : Spread- 

 ing over ground by slender runners or ascending. Leaves : 

 5-fingered, the digitate, saw-edged leaflets (rarely 3 or 4) 

 spreading from a common point, petioled ; some in a tuft at 

 base. 



Preferred Habitat— Dry fields, roadsides, hills, banks. 



Flowering Season — April — August. 



Distribution—Quthtc to Georgia, and westward beyond the Mis- 

 sissippi. 



Every one crossing dry fields in the eastern United States and 

 Canada at least must have trod on a carpet of cinquefoil {cinque 

 =five, feuilles=\enves), and have noticed the bright little blossoms 

 amvong the pretty foliage, possibly mistaking the plant for its cousin, 



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