206 
SUPERSTITIONS RESPECTING FLOWERS. 
cept on such plants as are shielded from the inclemency of the weath 
er ; even the green-house plants can scarcely be made to blossom 
The leaves of the trees, and the stems of all annual plants, are 
also decayed ; some hardy evergreens yet retain their cheerful ver- 
dure. At Christmas, the foliage of the laurel, pine, spruce, and the 
beautiful running, or ground-pine, (LvcopoDiUM,) belonging to the 
family of Ferns, are found in perfection, ready to welcome the anni 
versary of our Saviour's birth. 
The custom of decorating churches with evergreens, is of very 
ancient date. On this subject, an English writer observes. " Tlio 
evergreens, with which the churches are usually ornamented at 
Christmas, are a proper emblem of that time when, as God says by 
the prophet Isaiah, / will plant in the wilderness the cedar^ arid the 
myrtle^ and the olive-tree ; 1 will set in the desert the fir-tree^ arid pine- 
tree^ and the box-tree together.''^ And in another place, " The glory 
of Lebanon shall come unto thee ; the fir-tree^ and the pine-tree^ and 
box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary ; and I will make 
the place of my feet glorious?'' 
In -the Romish church, which abounds in external observances of 
rehgion, it is customary to bear palm boughs in procession, on the 
anniversary of the day when Christ went into Jerusalem and the 
children strewed branches of palm-trees before him. In more 
northern latitudes, box, pine, olive, and willows are used as a sub- 
stitute for real palms, which do not grow, as in Judea, by the way- 
sides. The day on which this ceremony is performed, is callef) 
Palm-Sunday. 
Superstitions with regard to the blossoming of Plants. 
In the Romish church, many superstitions exist with regard to cer- 
tain plants which happen to blossom about the time of some Saints' 
days. In Italy, and other countries in the south of Europe, where 
these superstitions first originated, the dead-nettle being in blossom 
about the time of St. Vincent's day, a martyr who suffered for 
Christianity under the Emperor Dioclesian, in the year 304. the flow- 
er is consecrated to him. 
The winter hellebore is usually in blossom about the time of the 
conversion of St. Paul, supposed to be in commemoration of that 
event. 
The crocus was dedicated to St. Valentine, as it appears about 
the period of that Saint's day, which is regarded as peculiarly sacred 
to affection ; St. Valentine is recorded to have been eminent for love 
and charity. One species of daisy appears about the time of St. 
Margaret's day; this is called in France, La Belle Marguerite, and 
in England, Herb Margaret. 
The Crown-imperial blossoms in England about the 18th of March^ 
the day of St. Edward, King of the West Saxons; nature thus, as 
was imagined, honouring the day with a royal flower. 
The Cardamine, or our Lady's flower, distinguished for its pure 
white, is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. 
The Mary-gold, so called from a fancied resemblance of the floret.S' 
of its disk to rays of glory, is also consecrated to the Virgin. 
On the day of St. George, the patron saint of England, the blue 
bells, there called field hyacinth, tinge the meadows and pastures 
with their deep blue colour ; they are thought to afford an emblem oi 
the empire of the ocean, over which England assumes the rule. 
Decorating churches with evergrr^ens — Palm-Sunday — Snperst'tions in the Romish 
church with regard to the blossoming of certain plants— Plants dedicated to certaui 
Saints. 
