20 THE BOOK OF HERBS 



seeds are quite round, like tiny balls, and Hogg remarks 

 that they become fragrant by drying, and the longer they 

 are kept the more fragrant they become. " If taken 

 oute of measure it doth trouble a manne's witt, with 

 great jeopardye of madnes." ^ Nowadays one comes across 

 them oftenest in little round pink and white comfits 

 for children. 



Cumin (^Cuminum cyminurn). 



Cummin good for eyes, 



The roses reigning the pride of May, 



Sharp isope good for greene woundes remedies.' 



Cumin is also mentioned in the Bible by Isaiah ; and also 

 in the New Testament, as one of the plants that were 

 tithed. It is very seldom met with, but the seeds have the 

 same properties as caraway seeds. Gerarde says it has 

 " little jagged leaves, very finely cut into small parcels," 

 and " spoky tufts " of red or purplish flowers. " The 

 root is slender, which perisheth when it hath ripened 

 his seed," and it delights in a hot soil. He recommends 

 it to be boyled together with wine and barley meale 

 " to the forme of a pultis " for a variety of ailments. 

 In Germany the seeds are put into bread and they figure 

 in folklore. De Gubernatis says it gave rise to a 

 saying among the Greeks : " Le cumin symbolisait, chez 

 le Grecs, ce qui est petit. Des avares, ils disaient, 

 qu'ils auraient meme partage le cumin." 



Cresses. 



Darting fish that on a summer morn 



Adown the crystal dykes of Camelot, 



Come slipping o'er their shadows on the sand. . , , 



Betwixt the cressy islets, white in flower. 



Geraint and Rrtid, 



To purl o'er matted cress and ribbed sand, 

 Or dimple in the dark of rushy coves. 



Ode to ]\/lemory, — Tennyson, 



1 Turner. * Muiopotmos, — Spenser. 



