plant, and frequently lodge at the bottoms of its 
leaves, whence they should be removed, or they 
will soon destroy their beauty. 
Could snails and other* consumers of this plant 
but consult “Henry Lyte, Esquyer’s Newe Herball” 
(1578), they would scarcely dare to molest the Ve- 
ratrum ; for amongst his warnings against^ its 
effects, he says, — “ Taken out of time and place, 
or to muche in quantitie, is very hurtfull to the 
body : for it choketh and troubleth all the inward 
partes, draweth togyther and shrinketh al the sin- 
ewes of mans body, and in time fleaeth the partie. 
Therfore it ought not to be taken vnprepared, 
neyther then without good heede and great ad- 
uisement. For such people as be either to yong or 
to old, or feeble, or spit blood, or be greeued 
in their stomackes, whose breastes are straight 
and narrowe, and their neckes long, suche feeble 
people may by no meanes deale with it, without 
ieobardie and danger. Wherfore these landleapers, 
Roges, and ignorant Asses, which take upo them 
without learning and practise, do very euill, for 
they give it without discretion to al people, whether 
they be young or olde, strong or feeble, and some- 
times they kil their patientes, or at the least they 
put them in perill or great daunger of their lyues. ’ 
The work of Lyte, from which we have here 
quoted, is a translation of the Pemptades of Do- 
donseus, a curiosity in its way. 
This plant flourishes in any common garden 
soil, and the only advice necessary to be given, is 
that it be not frequently disturbed, nor much 
divided. 
