The Fekx L()\'er"s Compaxion 53 





Fiiiitiiii; I'inii I <tt M nilenlijir 



The maidenhair has a sii|)erficia] reseinhhiiice to the 

 meadow rue, which also siieds water, lint il may lie known 

 at once by its black, shinint; stalks with their di\isions all 

 l)orne on one side. It is indeed a most delicate fern, 

 known and admired liy every one. The term maidenhair 

 may haT,'e been sugt^ested liy the black, ^^ iry roots throwing 

 from tlie slender rootstock, or by the dark, polished stems, 

 or, as Clute explains it, "because the black roots, like hair, 

 were sujjjw.sed, aceordinj; to the "doctrine of siffnatures' to 

 be ffQod for falling hair, and the ])lant was actually used in 

 the ".syrup of capillaire'* (Am. ISotanist, Xo\eniber, 1021). 

 While the maidenhair is not \-ery common, it is widely dis- 



* It may he stateil that capillaire syrup l)o.si(l(.',s the use Iiere 

 iucticateil was liigiily esteemed as a i)eetnral tor the relief of ditfieult 

 breathing. 



