of their spores furnished with peculiar hygrometric appendages, &c.; indeed, much more might we say of these interesting forms of vegetable life which have been so lightly and slightly touched upon in the foregoing chapter, did such extended information come within the scope of our design. This it does not; but we trust our readers who have gone with us the year through, will not fail to seek it from higher sources for themselves. We have but tried to offer them a few glimpses of Nature's most beautiful floral kaleidoscope, in the hope that having a few times turned it round before their eyes they may be tempted to go on and turn it round for themselves.

But we gave our exhortations and said our adieus last month with the closing year, and this we may only wish them a "New Year" of many happy rambles, when bright skies, warm air, and springing flowers once more bid the flower-gatherers, whether children or sages, be up and doing, and wooing Nature; for

"Nature never did betray

The heart that loved her; 'tis her privilege
Through all the years of this our life to lead
From joy to joy; for she can so inform
The mind that is within us, so impress
With quietness and beauty, and so feed
With lofty thoughts, that neither evil tongues,
Rash judgments, nor the sneers of selfish men,
Nor greetings where no kindness is, nor all
The dreary intercourse of daily life
Shall e'er prevail against us, or disturb
Our cheerful faith that all that we behold
Is full of blessings."

A FEW WORDS

ON THE

ECONOMIC PROPERTIES OF BRITISH WILD PLANTS.

It is often remarked, that we bring from abroad, both for medicinal and economical use, many vegetable productions in no way superior in the qualities for which they are prized to numbers of those which are the spontaneous growth of our own soil; and the fact of our doing so is thought to be explained by the sort of artificial value which many persons are said to attach to foreign articles, according to the old adage, that "far-fetched fowls have fine feathers." Perhaps there may be some foundation for the accusation of neglecting home produce: we suspect, however, that the principal reason why our native wild plants which possess valuable qualities are neglected, is that labour is too valuable in this country to be profitably employed in their collection. Even if tea itself grew. wild amongst us, we doubt whether, supposing it to be gathered and prepared according to the Chinese elaborate manipulation, it would not be found cheaper still to depend upon the celestials for our supply than to collect and manufacture it for ourselves. It seems as if the only way in which a vegetable product, either native or originally foreign, can be produced successfully in this country, is to cultivate and gather it regularly in such

a wholesale fashion as we do in the case of the hop, and some of the more largely-used medicinal herbs, such as chamomile, &c. As, however, this method is inapplicable to the generality of our own wild plants, they are neglected, fall into disuse, or at least become the property of the country herbalist, or of the housewives in remote districts. Nevertheless, some acquaintance with their properties is not only interesting, but may be useful.

One group more especially claims our attention, from being composed of plants which, under the ameliorating influence of cultivation, have become valuable and much-prized vegetables. It is singular how many of these are derived from the sea-shore. First, we have the well-known celery (Apium graveolens), so mild and succulent when well grown, but which is a disagreeably strong-flavoured and stringy plant in its native salt marshes. Following this comes its no less prized neighbour the sea-kale (Crambe maritima), a grower in the sand; and not far from it the origin of our garden-cabbages, the Brassica oleracea. The sugar-yielding beet too (Beta maritima) comes from the muddy shores of our own islands, and to the list we must add the delicate asparagus (Asparagus officinalis). So profusely does this latter plant grow on one' island off the coast of Cornwall, that the name "Asparagus Island," has been given to the place.* In addition to these sea-side natives, we have the parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) the carrot (Daucus carota), and the ancestor of the turnip (Brassica campestris). Cultivation, to be sure, has made a wide difference between the wilding and the

* Hooker and Arnott's Brit. Flora.

well-raised vegetable, but still they are essentially the same, and, except for the unceasing care of the cultivator, the latter would inevitably degenerate to its original condition. Moreover, some of our wild plants are used as vegetables, even when uncultivated. We were going to instance the nettle, so highly prized as a dietetic spring vegetable in some districts, but we remember that its cultivation has been immortalized by Sir Walter, and that Andrew Fairservice, the old gardener of Lochleven, did raise early nettles under hand-glasses. However, though the nettle is not generally so highly honoured, its young spring shoots are said to be no bad substitute for spinach. For a similar purpose, the mercury goose-foot (Chenopodium Bonus Henricus), and sometimes the "shepherd's purse" (Capsella bursa pastoris) is also used. Indeed, there are many others of our wild plants, such as the sow-thistle, &c., the leaves of which when young, if cooked like spinach, are said to be equally good. Where the hop grows plentifully, its young shoots cooked like asparagus are by no means a despisable vegetable.

Next we have of our own plants to which may be traced some of our most prized fruits. The common cherry and the morello both claim ancestry from wild trees (Prunus avium and Prunus cerasus) of our woods and hedge-rows, likewise the pear must go back to the Pyrus communis, and the apple to the Pirus malus, the well-known crab-apple. The currants, black and red, and the gooseberry, are all to be found growing beyond the bounds of cultivation: but it is doubtful whether they are truly wild. Not so the strawberry (Fragaria vesca) which nowhere carries a

finer flavour than on the woodland bank. Next comes our raspberry, introducing us to all its kindred the brambles, with their fruit, black, orange or red, as the case may be; and from these we pass to the pleasant-flavoured bilberries of our woods and hills, and to the cranberry of excellent tart reputation. Add to these our hazel nuts, and a very respectable dessert we make of our true British natives. Another set of native plants supplies us with condiments. Mustard we have from the common black mustard (Sinapis nigra), horse-radish (Armoracia rusticana), parsley (Petroselinum sativum), water-cress (Nasturtium officinale)-all British. The common lettuce is not a British native, but the dandelion, when cultivated as in France, is said to be palatable. The salad burnet (Poterium sanguisorba), resembling cucumber in flavour, is eaten as a salad. The "samphire of the rock" also affords us one of the best of pickles. A few roots there are which are used sparingly or in particular districts. Some of the British orchidea yield the salep* of commerce, and the root-tubers of the arum or cuckoo-pint are collected and prepared for sale. The root of the Campanula rapunculoides was formerly cultivated under the name of ramps. In the Highlands of Scotland the root of the bitter vetch (Orobus tuberosus) is said at times to constitute an article of food, and the tuber of the common pignut (Bunium flexuosum) is eaten by children and pigs whenever they can get it. We may add to these the roots of the "silver weed," Potentilla anserina, which are eaten in some parts of the country, either roasted or boiled.

* Salep is used in the preparation of a mucilaginous jelly like arrow-root.