HABITS AND LATIN NAMES OF BRITISH PLANTS. 
81 
Comarum palustre, Purple Marsh Cinque-foil, Purple Marshlocks, Cowberry.— 
The roots dye wool of a dirty red colour, and have astringency enough, with other 
plants of the same order, to tan leather. The Irish rub their milking-pails with 
it, to make the milk appear thicker and richer. 
Conium.— Kwvsiov of Theophrastus, from kwvojt, a cone or top, whose whirling 
motion resembles the giddiness produced on the human constitution by the 
poisonous juice of this plant. 
Conium maculatum , Hemlock.—The whole plant is poisonous, and many 
instances are recorded of its deleterious effects; but modern experience, according 
to some writers, has proved it to be less virulent than was formerly imagined. 
Our faithful Gerarde, concurring with Dioscorides and Pliny, should not be 
slighted, when he denounces “ Hemlocke” as “ a very evill, dangerous, hurtful!, 
and poisonous herbe; insomuch, that whosoever taketh of it into his body dieth 
remedilesse." Wherefore, no doubt, a proper ingredient for the cauldron of the 
u weird sisters”*— 
“ For a charm of powerful trouble* 
Like a hell-broth,”-- 
was 
Eoot of Hemlock, digged i’ th’ dark.” 
Conmllaria .*—From convallis , a valley, supposed to be so called from growing 
in vallies; though such a designation is far from peculiarly appropriate. 
Conmllaria majalis, Lily-of-the-valley, May-lily.-—The Lily-of-the-valley 
claims our notice both as an ornamental and a medicinal plant. As an 
ornamental one, few are held in greater estimation; indeed few flowers can- 
boast such delicacy with so much fragrance. When dried they have a narcotic 
scent; and if reduced to powder excite sneezing. A beautiful and durable green 
colour may be prepared from the leaves by the assistance of Lime. By forcing 
in pots, this truly elegant flower, with its double white and red varieties, may be 
rendered available to the drawing-room or boudoir, and thus will in the early 
Spring most agreeably 
“ Its balmy essence breathe.” 
As the emblem of purity, it is peerless, even in the garland of lovely May ; and 
“ Then the sweet Lily-of-the-vale 
In woodland dells is found, 
While whisp’ring winds its sweets exhale. 
And waft its fragrance round.” 
Convallaria multiflora , Common SolomonVseal.—The young shoots are eaten 
by the Turks as Asparagus, and the roots have been made into bread, as those of 
C. polygonatum . Gerarde gives an account of many curious particulars of the 
efficacy attributed to this plant in a more credulous age, for the “ knitting- 
