NAME. An old Latin appellation, cognate with the Greek μαλαχη, (malache), which is derived from μαλάσσω, (malasso), to soften or mollify, in allusion to the mucilaginous soothing properties of some of the genus.

1. M. moschata, Musk M.

Bab. 57. E.B. 754. 2 ed. 980.

Smith 3.247. Lind. 40.

Loc. Hedge banks, and borders of fields; frequent in the gravelly, but rare in the clay and chalky districts. Not yet noticed in Royston district. P. July, August.

2 M. sylvestris, Wood or Common M. Smith 3.245. Lind. 40. Bab, 57. E.B. 671. 2 ed. 978.

Loc. Roadsides and waste places; common in all the districts. P. June, September.

3. M. rotundifolia, Round-leaved or Dwarf M. Smith 3.246. Lind. 40. Bab. 57. E.B. 1092. 2 ed. 979.

Loc. Waste places near houses. districts. P. (?) June, September.

Common in all the

Order—HYPERICÍNEÆ.

The young maid stole through the cottage door,
And blushed as she sought the plant of pow'r :-
"Thou silver glow-worm, O lend me thy light,
I must gather the mystic St. John's-wort to-night,
The wonderful herb, whose leaf will decide
If the coming year shall make me a bride."
And the glow-worm came

With its silvery flame,

And sparkled and shone,

Through the night of St. John,

And soon has the young maid her love-knot tied.
With noiseless tread

To her chamber she sped,

Where the spectral moon her white beams shed.
"Bloom here, bloom here, thou plant of pow'r,
To deck the young bride in her bridal hour!"
But it drooped its head, that plant of pow'r,
And died the mute death of the voiceless flow'r ;
And a wither'd wreath on the ground it lay,
More meet for a burial than a bridal day.

And when a year was past away,

All pale in her bier the young maid lay!

And the glow-worm came

With its silvery flame,

And sparkled and shone

Through the night of St. John,

As they closed the cold grave o'er the maid's cold clay.

HYPERICUM. St. John's-Wort.

LINN. Cl. xviii. ORD. i.

NAME. An old Greek word, Trepikov, (hypericon); which is said by some etymologists to be "compounded of Sep, (huper), signifying above or against, and eKwv, (eicon), a spirit," but as rep seldom, if ever, signifies against, or In a ghost, or spirit; the more probable derivation is simply from the word rep, above; which by no uncommon change in the termination, comes to signify "surpassing," or "super-excellent.” "In former times the Hypericum, or St. John's-wort, was looked upon as a 'plant of power' in the expulsion of demons, in hindering witches of their will, and in prognosticating the good or bad fortune of young men and maidens, as to their obtaining partners for life. In Lower Saxony, the young girls to this day, gather sprigs of it on Midsummer night, and fasten them to the walls of their bed-chamber. If, on the ensuing morning, the sprig remains fresh, a suitor may be expected; if it droop or wither, the maid is destined to an early grave. This superstition gave origin to the beautiful

lines we have selected for our motto, and which are taken from Blackwood's Magazine for January, 1821. The H. perforatum is the species which was used in this country; and the belief in its virtues is said still to linger amongst the people of N. Wales." Johnston's Flora of Berwick.

1. H. Androsæmum, Man's-blood H. or Tutsan. Androsæmum is an old Greek name, compounded of aua, aima, blood, and avopos, andros, of a man, a name still retained in the Dutch, Mansbloed. It was so called on account of the red juice of the berry. French toute-sain, or all-heal; the formerly celebrated as a vulnerary. 42. Bab. 60. E.B. 1225. 2 ed. 1051.

Tutsan is from the plant having been Smith 3.324. Lind.

Loc. Woods and shady banks, rare. P. July, August. LEA. 1. Lane from Brickendon Green to Blackfan Wood, Bayford. Lane between Essendon and L. Berkhamstead. Between L. Berhamstead and Bayford. Hedge at Kibe's Green, Essendon. In Kentish-lane between Woodhill and Warren Wood. Woods at Bramfield. Sherrard's Park Wood. Hatfield Woodhall Wood. 2. In

the Devil's-dyke, Wheathamstead. 6. Near Wormley Wood; and between the Wood and Brickendon Green.

COLNE. 7. In Milward's Park; and in the lane outside leading from Hatfield Woodside to Welham Green. 8 High-wood, Rickmansworth. Woods near Langley. J.H. Bacher Heath. BLACKSTONE. Bricket Wood. c.H. 9. Ashridge Woods; and near Great Berkhamstead (Mr. Woodward). E.FL. & T. & D. 10. Praewood, St. Alban's. C.H. Near Beechwood. w.I.B.

2. H. quadrangulum, square-stemmed or four-winged H. Smith 3.324. Lind. 42. Bab. 60. E.B. 370. 2 ed. 1052. Loc. Banks of rivers and wet places in woods. Common throughout the county, though not noticed in Royston. P. July.

3. H. maculatum (Crantz), spotted H. Bab. 60. H. dubium (Leers). Smith 3.326. Lind. 42. E.B. 296. 2 ed. 1054. Also of our Report, p. 4.

Loc. Woods and bushy places on a sandy soil, very P. July, August.

rare.

LEA. 6. Wood by the lane between Wormley-bury and Cheshunt-park.

In a

COLNE. 7. At N. Mimms (Mr. Sabine), T. & D. furze field S. of Colney Heath; and on the banks of the Colne between Colney Heath and Mimms Park.

3. H. humifusum, trailing H., from humi (Lat.), on the ground, and fusus, spread. Smith 3.326. Lind. 42. Bab. 61. E.B. 1226. 2 ed. 1055.

Loc. In pastures and woods on a gravelly soil, not uncommon, yet apparently wanting in the Buntingford and Royston Districts. P. July.

4. H. perforatum, perforated H., true St. John's Wort. Smith 3.325. Lind. 42. Bab. 60. E.B. 295. 2 ed. 1053. Loc. In groves and hedges, and borders of fields. Common in all the Districts. P. July, August.

6. H. hirsutum, hairy H. Smith 3.328. Lind. 42. Bab. 61. E.B. 1156. 2 ed. 1058.

Loc. Hedges, thickets, and borders of woods. Common in all the districts. P. June, July.

7. H. pulchrum, handsome H. or upright St. John's Wort. Smith 3.329. Lind. 42. Bab. 61. E.B. 1227. 2

ed. 105.

Loc. Heaths, banks, and bushy places, chiefly on clay. Frequent in most of the districts, excepting Stortford and Royston, where we have not noticed it. P. June, July.

ORDER-ACERÍNEÆ.

To sit on rocks, to muse o'er flood and fell,
To slowly trace the forests shady scene,
Where things that own not man's dominion dwell,
And mortal foot, hath ne'er or rarely been ;
To climb the trackless mountain all nnseen,
With the wild flock that never needs a fold;

Alone o'er steeps and foaming falls to lean;

This is not solitude; 'tis but to hold

Converse with Nature's charms, and see her stores unroll'd.

ACER. Maple.

LINN. CL. xxiii. ORD. i.

NAME. The name used by Latin authors. 1. A. campestre, Plain, or Common M, Lind. 55. Bab. 62. E.B. 304. 2 ed. 563.

BYRON.

Smith 2.230.

Loc. Hedges, common in all the districts. T. May, June.

2. A. pseudo-platanus,* Mock-plane, Great Maple, or Sycamore. Compounded of yevdos, (pseudos,) false, and TλaTavos, platanos, a plane tree, so called from the similarity of its leaves to those of the Platanus orientalis; the latter is from Tλarus, broad; from its wide-spreading branches, whose shade is so much valued in the East. Smith 2.230. Lind. 55. Bab. 62. E.B. 303. 2 ed. 562.

Loc. Hedges in many places; no doubt originally introduced, but the keys are blown to a considerable distance, and often give the station an appearance of wildness. In Tewin church-yard are some self-sown trees, growing in a very remarkable manner, around and about the tomb of Lady Anne Grimston, and having in their growth displaced the masonry of the tomb and the ironwork. The following legend has been handed down to account for this curious phenomenon.

"It is said that Lady Anne was an unbeliever, and was wont to say that, if the Sacred Book were true, seven ash trees would grow out of her tomb.' The result, evidently—as in many similar cases-gave rise to the legend. Whether Lady Anne were so unbelieving as is represented, we have no means of ascertaining, but it is very unlikely; and, in these days, we require no such solution of appearances which, however unusual, we are content to regard as beautiful illustrations of natural laws." -Hertford Mercury. T. May, June,