CONCERNING SAMPHIRE 149 



The fishermen, that walk upon the beach, 

 Appear like mice . . . the murmuring surge, 

 That on the unnumbered pebbles chafes, 

 Caimot be heard so high.' 



That is one of the delights of the Herb-garden — 

 the way it has of taking us back to old-time ways 

 and doings, recalling them with strange vividness, 

 much as the simple words of a song we hear recall 

 the music that belongs to it. Our Samphire plant 

 is growing among the outside stones of a Herb- 

 border, and though it came from cliffs on the 

 warmer side of the Silver Streak, has settled down 

 with us, and so far is thriving. 



The origin of the name Samphire is easy to 

 trace. Anciently the Herb was known in France 

 as Perce-pierre or Passe-pierre. Peter signifying 

 a rock, the transition to Saint-Pierre was simple, 

 and the word Samphire we now use in England 

 resembles the old French form sufficiently to 

 remind us of it. For centuries the Herb has been 

 dedicated to St. Peter. In Italy it was Erba di 

 San Pieti'O. 



Some may like to grow Pepperwort (Dittander), 

 or Poor Man's Pepper, once cultivated in gardens, 

 and growing wild in some parts of England ; or 

 Fenugreek, a Herb greatly enjoyed by cattle; or 



