Wild Flowers as They Grow 



— October 28 — the Devil sets his foot on the Bram- 

 bles, and not a single decent fruit can thereafter 

 be found. A variation of this legend is that the 

 Devil throws his cloak over them in late autumn 

 and hence they must be avoided; and children, 

 particularly in Ireland, were strictly forbidden in 

 late October days to touch the fruit. 



In some parts of the country the fruit is known 

 as " bumblekites," in others " scaldberries," from 

 the idea that too great a feasting on it gave the 

 children the " scald-head." 



Naturally this plant has played its part in the 



remedies of the old herbalists. From very ancient 



days both the flowers and fruit were considered a 



safe cure for the bite of a serpent ; the roots were 



boiled in wine by Roman physicians and given as 



an astringent ; the fruit was, and stiU is, valued in 



decoctions for soreness in the mouth and throat. 



At one time a black dye was obtained from the 



stems, and it is said that silkworms will thrive upon 



the leaves, and spin cocoons of excellent silk thereon, 



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