bearing the first ripe fruit are laid across 

 the mouth of the well to insure for that 

 season a bountiful supply of fruit. The 

 ascribing of qualities of good or evil 

 to various plants and trees goes back 

 as far as there are any records. The 

 South Sea Islanders use flowers as a 

 part of every-day life, — for ceremo- 

 nies, for adornment, for worship. They 

 affirm that the scent of a flower is its 

 spirit, and in order that their dead may 

 be sustained by the fragrance they cover 

 the grave with the sweetest flowers. 



The origin of the names of plants 

 presents a curious branch of the study 

 of horticulture. Many are wrapped 

 in obscurity, but tulip is from a Per- 

 sian word, meaning turban, and having 

 reference to the shape of the flower. 

 The pretty narcissus is in memory of 

 a foolish youth, and daffodil seems to 

 have been a homely name given in 

 affection to a home flower. 

 31 



