THE 

 DEADLY NIGHTSHADE. 



^itropa Belladonna. Nat. Ord., Solanacece. 



TRIKINGLY beautiful as this 

 plant is when the lurid purple 

 bells are succeeded by the long 

 rows of densely black berries, it 

 has, most deservedly, so bad a repu- 

 tation that it is seldom allowed to 

 grow. The plant naturally has 

 abundant means of increase, and 

 would no doubt be not only widely 

 distributed, but really common, 

 were it not for the constant war- 

 fare waged against it. Its cha- 

 racter is so distinctive that any 

 one once seeing it cannot fail to 

 recognise it, and as it is well that 

 it should be recognised we are glad 

 to include it amongst our series, 

 though it will never be allowed to 

 become really familiar, for the same reason that a man 

 would not give his children prussic acid to " play shop " 

 with, or let them have a loaded revolver to amuse them 

 because it was too wet to go out. It is a plant that we 

 should gladly see growing in our own garden,, but we 

 should dread the responsibility of putting it there, for, 

 49 



