38 GUERNSEY DIAJ.ECT AND PLANT NAMES. 



Berzae nnd Beurza. Charlock {Sinapis arvenais). Theformcr naoie is used 



in the lowlands ; the latter in the higher parishes. 

 Bette de banque. iiea Beet {Beta maritima). Lit. Seashore Beet. 

 Bian bouais. White Poplar [Pop Him alba). L't. White wood. 

 Bian Tpefle. Dutch Clover [Trifulmm repens). In the word trcfle the / is so 



softly sounded as to be hardly distinguishable. 



Blanche Coneille. Wild Garlic {A //mm trlqmlrum) . Lit. White Bluebell. 



Also called Ai/. 



Blanche Epene. Hawthorn {Cratcegns oxyacantha). Lit. White Thorn. 



Also called Mais d'llai. 

 Blanche Snile. Stinking Goosefoot [Chenopodium vn/caria). Cudweed 

 [Fi/ago gcriii'inlca). The former plant is so cdled at the Vale ; the latter 

 in the west. 



Blanche Surelle. Yellow Toadflax {Linaria va/garu). Lit. White Sorrel. 



Used in the high parishes. 

 Blue Herbe. Common Bent Grass {Agrostis vu/gans). Lit. Blue grass. 

 Bouarage. Borage {Borago offie'ma/is). 

 Bouarage sauvage. Small Bugloss [Lycopsls arvcnsis). This name, Wi/d 



Borage, would s-eem tj indicate that the preceding species was at one time 



cultivated m Guernsey for medicinal purposes. 

 Brlnge. Broom {Sarothammis scoparh(s). AloO called Genet. In connection 



with this plant Mr, Hocart has given me the following local proverb : 



Quand /es sorchiers vont an Catioroc, Us pdssoit par dessus bringe et bisson, mmre 



et pa'isson, which means, When the witches go to Catioroc they pass over 



broom and bramble, sea and fish,^.e., they surmount every obstacle. 



Catioroc at St. Peter's, was, in the olden time, a famous resort of witches. 

 Bruxette. Lamb's Lettuce [Valeriane/la carlnata). 

 Caboehe sauvage. '^ea M'^dLX^h {Rctphanus marltimus) . Lit. Wild Cabbage. 



So called evidently because the flowers resemble those of the cabbage, 



rather than those of the cultivated radish. 

 CalSSe. Hogweed or Cow Parsnip {Herac/eum sphondg/inm). Closely allied 



to the words Caslies, Kex, awd Kecksies , applied in various parts of England 



to the dry hollow stems of this and other umbelliferous plants. 

 CamlePe. Chamomile {Anthemis nobilis) . 

 Campana. Elecampane {Inx/a helenium). I saw this plant growing in a 



garden at the Vale, and the cottager called it Campana, but said its 



proper name was lane de Campana. 

 Capillalre, Grand. Common Polypody [Po/g podium vu/gare). So applied 



at the Vale ; but generally used, I believe, for all the larger Ferns except 



Bracken. Also called Gvaeu du Gaidb/e. 

 Capillalre, Petit. Black Spleenwort {Asp/enium adiantiim-nigrum). A 



strong decoction of this plant, to which is added plenty of brown sugar, 



or sometimes dried figs, is considered a sovereign remedy for coughs. 

 Cardon. Creeping Thistle {Cardans arvensis). Applied generally to all kinds 



of thistles : but at the Vale C. arvensis is distinguished as I" tit Cardon and 



C. /nnceo/atns as Grand Cardon. 

 Cardon benl. Spear Thistle {Cardans /anceo/atns) . Lit. Blessed Thistle. 



Used at Torteval. 

 Cardon d'banque. Sea Holly {Erynginm. maritimnm). Lit. Seashore 



Thistle. The word banque signifies the low-lying shore or beach. 

 Castanler. Chestnut {Castanea vu/garis). The fruit is called Casta'ine, sound- 

 ing the second syllable like the English word line. 

 CattonS. Sallow {Sa/ix cinerea). Lit. Kittens. Compare our word catkin- 



When the soft silvery buds of the Sallow begin to appear in early spring, 



the Yale people say : V/d le saue qui cattone. 



