JOURS AL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
235 
Svpplenieiit  to 
March  13, 
1902. 
its  graceful  drooping  flowers.  The  hollowed  tops  of  the  Teasel 
represented  a  ladies’  basin,  the  beaked  Scandix  was  like  her  comb, 
and  a  mirror  seemed  to  show  in  the  bright  flowers  of  a  Campanula. 
One  botanist  states  that  Primula  farinosa  in  the  North  is  some¬ 
times  Ladies’  Candlestick  as  well  as  Bird’s  Eye.  To  the  wild 
Bryony  is  said  to  belong  also  the  name  of  Ladies’  Seal,  because  it 
had  a  rootstock  shaped  like  a  seal,  though  some  declare  that  the 
Solomon’s  Seal  (Polygonatum  multiflorum)  was  the  Ladies’  Seal 
too,  from  the  peculiar  marks  it  exhibits  on  the  root.  Curious  to 
tell,  another  name  for  this  was  David’s  Harp.  The  flowerstalk, 
Avith  its  pendent  blossoms,  Avas  fancied  to  resemble  the  monkish 
drawing  of  King  David  over  his  instrument.  Yet,  again,  the 
Galiums  were  Ladies’  Bedstraws,  presumably  OAving  to  the  use  of 
this  soft  creeper  for  couches  or  beds,  though  men  lay  upon  hard 
reeds  and  rushes.  To  the  Scottish  schoolboy  it  is  Scratchweed,  or 
Blood-tongue,  and  he  draws  the  sharp  edge  of  the  leaf  over  his 
companion’s  tongue  to  bring  blood. 
Several  plants  have  got  names  from  their  comiection  Avith 
leaves,  are  scraped  over  each  other  to  produce  a  squeaking  soTind. 
“  Curl-doddy  ”  is  the  local  name  of  the  Field  Scabious  in  some 
places ;  the  heads  are  compared  to  the  curly  pate  of  a  boy.  Irish 
children  call  the  Wall  Pellitory  by  the  slightly  altered  name  of 
“  Peniteri-y,”  and  a  schoolboy  in  danger  of  punishment  lays  hold 
of  it,  crying : 
“  PeniteiTy,  peniterry,  that  groAvs  by  the  AA'all, 
Save  me  from  a  Avhipping,  or  I’ll  pull  you,  roots  and  all.” 
Most  people  know  that  the  name  Dandelion  means  “  Lion’s 
Tooth.”  It  occurs  elseAvhere  than  in  Britain,  and  seems  puzzling. 
Mr.  Friend  is  not  satisfied  Avith  the  explanation  that  it  arose 
from  the  form  of  the  leaA^es  or  the  floAA'er’s  likeness  to  the  golden 
teeth  of  the  heraldic  lion ;  he  takes  it  that  as  a  medicine  this 
plant  Avas  compared  to  the  lion’s  tooth.  This  excellent  botanist 
tells  us  he  Avas  perplexed  by  the  name  Crazy  FloAver,  occasion¬ 
ally  given  to  the  Buttercup,  until  some  Devonshire  people 
A  Vicar’s  Garden — seven  miles 
mimic  contests  or  children’s  pastimes.  About  London  suburbs 
and  elsewhere  young  folks  call  nuts  of  Horse  Chestnuts  “conkers.” 
Though  spelt  so  now,  it  arose  from  the  old  game  in  which  boys 
struck  them  against  each  other,  repeating  the  nonsense  rhyme, 
“  0,  Clionker,  my  first  conquer,”  and  the  word  implying  victory 
Avas  applied  to  the  nut  itself.  Hazel  nuts  are  said  to  have  been 
also  used  in  such  combats.  The  Ribwort  Plantain  (P.  lan- 
ceolata)  had  also  the  name  of  Jack  Straw  and  Cocks,  from  the 
cMldren’s  game  of  fighting  the  stems.  Sometimes  they  arranged 
them  in  fifties  for  this  purpose.  Some  Scotch  youngsters  call  the 
Wood  Angelica  “  ait-skeiters,”  using  its  hollow  stems  like  pea¬ 
shooters,  the  missiles  being  mostly  Oats.  About  Lincolnshire  the 
Butterbur  has  the  name  of  “  Boghorn,”  its  stems  serving  for 
horns  or  trumpets,  and  in  Yorkshire  the  semi-aquatic  Scrophularm 
is  popularly  “  Fiddlewood ;  ”  the  stems,  when  stripped  of  their 
from  London.  (Sec  note  on  page  241.) 
informed  him  that  smelling  this  flower  might  cause  madness. 
Many  yelloAV  flowers  have  been  called  Buttercups  or  Marigolds. 
Apparently  the  Marsh  Marigold  (Caltha  palustris)  had  its  odd 
designation  of  “  Drunkard  ”  because  it  is  partial  to  water.  Grow¬ 
ing  together  on  a  field.  Buttercups  and  Marigolds  have  been  styled 
Publicans  and  Sinners.  I  presunie  that  the  Marigolds  are  pub¬ 
licans.  But  it  is  strange  that  one  wild  Valerian  should  be  the 
Drunken  Sailor,  also  Bouncing  Bess.  This  we  may  explain  by 
the  “  bounce  ”  of  the  plant  Avhen  a  breeze  is  blowing.  A  variety 
of  names  were  given  to  plants  taken  from  animals,  not  always 
recognisable.  Bugloss,  for  instance,  a  rough-leaved  species,  being 
compared  to  the  tongue  of  an  ox.  FeAv  plants  are  richer  in  odd 
names  than  the  Arum,  which  is  Parson  and  Clerk,  Parson  in  the 
Pulpit.  CoAvs  and  Calves,  Lords  and  Ladies,  Wakerobin,  and 
Adder’s  Food.— J.  R.  S.  C. 
