Caltha, or Calta 



cannot be Virgil's plant. Corydon's nosegay, of 

 which it forms a part, could hardly be gathered at 

 any one season, and gives us no guide to the flower- 

 ing time of our plant. Not much is said of ' caltha ' 

 by our early authorities. For Virgil's epithet Colu- 

 mella substitutes flammeola, with a reference to the 

 fiery orange tint of the bridal veil. From Pliny we 

 learn that our plant had a strong scent, both in the 

 leaves and in the blossom. All this points to the 

 common pot marigold (Calendula officinalis), an 

 African, brought early into cultivation for its use 

 in condiments. The yellow ray flowers are still 

 used in soups, and the plant has naturalized itself 

 here and there both in Italy and in England. 



Flower, July and August. 



Italian names, Calendula and Fiorrancio. 



Carduus. 



' segnisque horreret in arvis | Carduus ' 



(Ge. I. 151 ; cf. Ec. v. 39). 



Thistles are reckoned by Virgil among the plagues 

 sent by the gods into the cultivated fields in order 

 that the farmer might not have too easy a life. It 

 is probable that several species are covered by the 

 name, but in Italy, as with us, the worst enemy is 

 the common field thistle (Carduus arvensis). It 

 increases rapidly by means of stolons, and is hard 

 to eradicate, because any broken bit of them will 

 produce roots and stems. It is well that the flowers 

 are often barren. Thus we may put aside Dr. Wood- 



35 



