May 5, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
567 
near the stems. This work of adding soil is done 
twice and in some years three times, until the trenches 
are full and the ridges levelled. It is of importance 
that the soil be made firm round the stems. 
Change or rotation of crops is recommended as a 
preventative of clubbing, but there are not many 
gardens where one or another of the Brassica family 
must occupy the same ground every other year. 
Even if the intervals were longer I am not sure if 
the plant would escape the evil in some places. Has 
anyone ever noticed clubbing on ground that has 
been occupied with Strawberries for two or more 
years ? The roots of these differ greatly from all 
kinds of vegetable roots, permeating as they do the 
whole of the soil, and seem effectual in correcting 
its acidity. Ryegrass has the same effect and is 
frequently sown for that purpose, and has proved 
far more satisfactorily than the application of doubt¬ 
ful substances such as gas-lime, etc. Of course, it 
does not answer everyone’s purpose to grow either 
Strawberries or Ryegrass, as where the garden is 
some distance from the dwelling. Strawberries would 
be subject to the depredations of birds not to say of 
human bipeds, and the Ryegrass would be of little 
value. The most successful growers of the Cabbage 
tribe in this part are those who grow Oats and other 
grain crops, and of course Ryegrass where it answers 
their purpose.— W.P.R. 
—--*• - 
HISTORY OF THE 
FRITILLARY. 
The origin of the name Fritillaria is lost in history. 
We find it in use by Lobel, Clusius, and other 
authors of several hundred years ago. Many 
modern botanists say " from fritillus. Latin for chess¬ 
board—because some of the species have flowers 
barred like the squares of a chess-board.” But 
fritillus does not seem to have ever been used for 
chess-board, but is the Latin name for ” dice-box,” 
and hence Dr. Gray, in his "School Botany,” with 
more reason says " fritillus, dice-box, from the shape 
of the flowers.” Still one cannot but remember that 
though the shape of the flowers of the European 
Fritillaria Meleagris—the one known to the ancients 
—maybe like a " dice-box,” it is no more like one 
than hundreds of others, and there seems therefore 
no reason for the special designation in this case. 
Ovid relates of one, Meleag, a so-n of Althsea, that 
he was a wonderful hero, who alone, of a large troop, 
attacked and destroyed a huge boar, which Diana in 
her anger had let loose to devastate the country 
ruled by Meleag’s father. He is described as a 
chivalric and good-hearted fellow, and on one 
occasion defended Atlanta against several powerful 
men who had attacked with the design of robbing 
her. On one occasion he fell in with Fritillus, 
who had been driven from home by his hard¬ 
hearted mother-in-law, and, to do him kindness, 
made him superintendent of a flock of guinea-fowls. 
He entered into the care of these then precious 
birds with singular devotion. On one occasion a 
mighty tempest dispersed the birds. Determined to 
gather them together, he wandered several days, till 
overcome by fatigue he sickened and died. The 
gods who, as the fables tell us, made the flowers in 
those days out of those human beings whom they 
loved, were so pleased with the devotion shown by 
this servant to the interests of his master that they 
turned his dead body into a flower, Fritillaria 
Meleagris, whose petals to this day resemble the 
feathers of the Meleagris—the birds he had in 
ch.s.rgQ.—Meehans' Monthly. 
-- 
THE EYEBRIGHTS. 
I Was recently requested by a resident in Manchester 
to give him " the name of the plant, the juice of 
which, dropped into the eyes, especially after 
cataract, is found beneficial for bad eyes. It is said 
that a certain bird was seen to break the stem, take 
the juice, and fly off to its nest to use it on the eyes of 
one of its brood. My father used it thirty to forty 
years since, but I forget its name.” The plant to 
which my correspondent refers is undoubtedly 
the Eyebright or Euphrasy (Euphrasia officinalis), 
or as the old herbalists used to call it, Euphrasia 
ophthalmica. It is a small annual belonging to the 
Scrophulariacae—a common plant on heaths and 
dry meadows, growing to the height of from six to 
twelve inches, and producing several flowers near 
the ends of the branches—white spotted with yellow 
and purple. It was formerly held in such high re¬ 
pute for its medical properties that it was frequently 
mentioned by the old poets, and the old school of 
herbalists strongly recommended its use inwardly 
and internally for disorder of the eyes. Evidently 
the poet Milton .shared this conviction, for when 
describing the Archangel's interview with Adam, he 
says- 
"Then purged with Euphrasy and Rice 
The visual nerve, for he had much to see.” 
Dr. Lindley, in the " Treasury of Botany,” states 
it is still a rustic remedy as an eye water, but is said 
by some to be injurious rather than beneficial. Mr. 
Folkard, in his book on " Plant Lore,” states that 
the plant was formerly called Euphrosyne, after one 
of the Graces, but the name subsequently became 
corrupted to Euphrasy. 
Where did W. Coles, the Old Herbalist, pick up 
the legend about it being used by the linnet to clear 
its sight. It is to this that my correspondent 
evidently refers. Coles says, in his "Adam in 
Eden,” " Divers authors write that goldfinches, 
linnets, and some other birds make use of this herb 
for the repairing of their own and their young ones 
sight.” Coles, in his edition of 1659, says in refe¬ 
rence to the virtues of the Eyebright: " The purple 
and yellow spots and stripes which are upon the 
flowers of Eyebright, doth very much resemble the 
diseases of the eyes, as blood-shot, etc. By which 
signature it hath been found out that this herb is 
very effectual for the curing of the same and for 
removing dimness of sight, either the powder 
of the dry herb or the juice of the green. The 
distilled water is very effectual for the said purpose, 
to be taken either inwardly in wine or in broth, or 
to be dropped into the eyes, and used for divers days 
together. Some also make a conserve of the flower 
to the same effect. Being used any of these ways, 
it also helpeth a weak brain or memory and restoreth 
them being decayed in a short time.” An old author 
who wrote a book on wines, said wine made of Eye- 
brights not only helped the dimness of sight, but the 
use thereof maketh old men to read small letters with 
out spectacles that could hardly read great ones 
with their spectacles before. So that, as Mr. 
Culpepper said :—" If this herb were as much used 
as neglected it would spoil the spectacle makers 
trade.” It was said that it "did actually restore 
their sight who were blind a long time.” 
All this belief in the medicinal virtues of plants 
by the old herbalists, and by many country people 
of the past and present generations (for the belief 
still exists largely in country districts) is full of 
interest, and probably there is more in it than is 
generally supposed, much as we may be disposed to 
laugh at the old fancies. The herbalist still exists, 
especially in the Midlands and the great manufac¬ 
turing districts, and one might reasonably wonder 
whether his herb medicines kill as many persons as 
those dispensed under our modern pharmacy.— R.D. 
--*•- 
Gardening |[iscellany. 
PROLIFERATION OF ADIANTUM. 
Having just noticed in your issue of April 14th a 
note on the proliferation of Adiantum Capillus- 
Veneris imbricatum, we wish to point out a remark 
that may possibly convey a wrong impression to 
your readers. The writer of the note referred to 
says : —" The variety very much resembles Adiantum 
Farleyense. Like that Fern the fronds in this case 
are perfectly barren as far as spores are con¬ 
cerned.” This may be intended to apply only to 
the particular plant which was under notice, and if 
so this letter is altogether unnecessary, although it 
may be understood that the variety imbricatum, like 
Farleyense, is always barren. This, however, is 
not the case, as imbricatum produces spores, and 
w'e now have a number of seedlings true to charac¬ 
ter raised from spores taken from this variety. 
Other varieties of Adiantum Capillus-Veneris are 
proliferous under favourable conditions, and we now 
have what is even more remarkable, viz., a rhizome 
in course of formation out of a stipes of a frond 
about an inch from its base. It is the variety 
magnificum, which is thus striking out a new line 
for itself in the mode of growth.— W. J. Birken¬ 
head, Fern Nursery, Sale, Manchester. 
CANONS OF JUDGING. 
SoMETi.ME ago I addressed a communication to you 
on the above subject, which you were good enough 
to print. It was in the same vein as that of " An 
Old Exhibitor,” on p. 548, with this difference, that 
I suggested that the Royal Horticultural Society 
(meaning, of course, its Committees) should formu¬ 
late a few rules for the guidance of judges and 
exhibitors at the numerous shows that are springing 
up all over the country. New exhibitors have 
vague notions as to what is required, and are dis¬ 
appointed when experienced judges turn up, while 
old exhibitors get injustice meted out to them when 
the judges are inexperienced. The Comm.ittees of 
these Societies, unlike the Southern Pink Society, 
are incompetent to draw up a code of rules, and 
most of the members are frequently the exhibitors. 
More societies have come to grief through wrong 
judging than any other cause. I thought that any 
canons emanating from the " Royal ” would have 
weight, and be accepted by all. This you pooh- 
poohed at the time, having evidently no faith in that 
august body. [The Council, not the Committees. 
—Ed.] I am, however, pleased to see from 
“ An Old Exhibitor’s ” letter that the Committee of 
the Southern Pink Society have carried out the 
suggestions I then made, and I have no doubt a lot 
of friction will be saved thereby.— W.P.R. 
POLYGALA DALMAISIANA. 
This plant has long been popular in gardens, and 
justly obtains all the attention it receives. Its origin 
is not known, but it is not believed to be a form of 
P. myrtifolia or a hybrid between that and P. oppo- 
sitifolia. Under favourable conditions the flowers 
are of a rich dark purple, but when circumstances 
are less favourable, as when they flower in winter 
with deficient light, the flowers are much paler. A 
large batch of plants in the nursery of Messrs. Hugh 
Low & Co., Bush Hill, Enfield, is now in full bloom 
and very conspicuous, owing to the profusion of rich, 
dark purple flowers. The house has been kept very 
cool and well ventilated, and that, together with the 
clear skies, must be held accountable for the bright 
colour of the flowers. 
CALTHA LEPTOSEPALA. 
Those who are fond of aquatic or semi-aquatic 
plants might do worse than add this neat-habited 
American plant to their collection if not already 
there. The flowers are quite different in appearance 
from those of the Marsh Marigold (C. palustris) of 
British ponds, river and lake banks, and which are 
so conspicuous in spring for their golden-yellow 
colour, whether in the single or double state. The 
flowers of C. leptosepala are white with numerous 
oval sepals that are narrower than those of C. 
palustris. The anthers are yellow and form a mass 
in the centre. The leaves are broadly oblong, 
sometimes cordate, but always auricled at the base, 
and perfectly dissimilar to the triangular and 
toothed leaves of C. palustris. Sometimes it is 
planted in the open ground like the latter, but more 
often it is grown in pots and stood close to water, 
either in a tank or pond. The plant keeps on expand¬ 
ing flowers from May to June, but this year it 
commenced flowering in the latter part of last 
month. - 
CORYDALIS NOBILIS. 
Several of the perennial species of Corydalis make 
the borders and rockery gay during the spring 
months. The purple ones are usually most common, 
particularly in spring, but that under notice is by no 
means so common as it deserves. The flowers are 
borne in terminal pyramidal racemes interleaved 
with bracts; they are yellow, v\ ith a deep brown tip 
to the two inner petals, and which gives additional 
character to the flowers. The leafy stems grow to a 
height of 9 in. to 12 in., according to the character 
of the soil in which the plant is grown, and to 
exposure. The foliage is as finely divided as that of 
a Fern, and in itself sufficiently ornamsntal to 
deserve a place in a border or on the rockery. 
MORISIA HYPOGAEA. 
For rockwork this can hardly be too highly 
estimated for a display during the mouths of April 
and May. The whole plant, flowers and all, do not 
exceed i or 2 in. in height, and the golden-yellow 
flowers contrast beautifully with the dark green 
shining foliage. The leaves are lobed in a peculiar 
way, somewhat reminding one of those of the 
Dandelion, but they are smaller, neater, thicker in 
texture, and much more regularly lobed. The 
species belongs to the same family as the Evening 
Primrose (Oenothera) and Fuchsia, yet in general 
aspect is very different from either, although some 
