Wild Flowers as They Grow 



turned on to this ground they will naturally become 

 poor in condition too, and therefore liable to be 

 verminous and diseased whether the Red Rattle 

 be their food or no. Unfortunately " if you throw 

 enough mud some of it will stick," and in keeping 

 ahve both popularly and scientifically through its 

 names the old mistake the Red Rattle wiU always 

 be credited (or should it not be discredited ?) with 

 having some relation to vermin. Other names 

 sometimes used for the plant are " Cock's Comb," 

 perhaps from the shape of its leaves, " Cow-wort," 

 " Dead Men's Bellows," " Rattle Grass " (its com- 

 mon name three centuries ago), and " Suckles." 



It can be found in flower from April to August, 

 and it belongs to that family ScrophulariacetB, which 

 counts among its members such diverse plants as 

 the snapdragon, the speedwell, and the mimulus. 



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