2. L. major, stems erect, tubular; heads depressed, manyflowered, duller yellow; claw of the standard linear; shorter filaments not dilated; legumes drooping, cylindrical. Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil.

Hab. Bushy places at the sides of ditches, frequent.
July, Aug. Y

226. MEDICAGO.

1. M. sativa, stem erect, smooth; leaflets long, serrated towards the end; clusters upright, of many bluish-purple flowers; legumes spiral. Lucerne.

Hab. Field above the quarry on Sunnyside, Dr Thomp"Corn-field near Gunsgreen-hill," Rev. A. Baird.

son.

Aug. Sept.

Lucerne has often been recommended for fodder, but is not cultivated in this neighbourhood. At Portobello, near Edinburgh, it is cultivated with great success; and the appearance of the field is always particularly fresh and luxuriant.

2. M. lupulina, stem procumbent; leaflets obovate; spikes ovate, erect, of numerous small yellow flowers; legumes kidneyshaped, rugged and veiny, single-seeded. Black Medick.

Hab. Meadows and pastures. May-Aug.

The Yellow Clover of the farmer, and often sown with ryegrass.

CLASS XVIII.

POLYADELPHIA.

"The young maid stole thro' the cottage door,
And blush'd 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

Thro' 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 droop'd 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 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 sparkl'd and shone

Thro' the night of St John

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

I. POLYANDRIA.

227. HYPERICUM. Calyx inferior, in 5 deep divisions; petals 5; filaments united at the base, into 3 or 5 parcels; capsule with many seeds.

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 drop 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 North Wales.

227. HYPERICUM.

1. H. quadrangulum, stem herbaceous, with 4 sharp angles; leaves ovate, with copious pellucid dots; segments of the calyx lanceolate; flowers lemon-coloured, panicled; styles 3. Square St John's-wort.

Hab. Moist meadows, and banks of rivulets. July.

2. H. perforatum, stem two-edged; leaves elliptical, obtuse, with copious pellucid dots; segments of the calyx lanceolate; flowers bright yellow, streaked; styles 3. Perforated St John's

wort.

Hab. Thickets and hedges, frequent. July, Aug.

3. H. humifusum, stem compressed, prostrate; leaves elliptical, smooth; segments of the calyx ovate, leafy; flowers somewhat cymose, yellow; styles 3. Trailing St John's-wort.

Hab. Gravelly pastures. Hilly pastures above Lamber-
ton Shields; " Fields about Netherbyres," Rev. A.
Baird. In fields above Ayton, on the Eye; and near
St Abb's Head. July.

"Far diffus'd

And lowly creeping, modest and yet fair,

Like virtue, thriving most where little seen."

4. H. hirsutum, downy; stem erect, round; leaves ovate; calyx lanceolate with glandular serratures; flowers yellow; styles 3. Hairy St John's-wort.

Hab. Woods not common. Sea banks at Lamberton
Shields; Tweed banks beyond Ord-Mill, Thomp.
July.

5. H. pulchrum, smooth; stem erect, round; leaves clasping the stem, heart-shaped; calyx ovate, with glandular serratures; flowers yellow, tipped with scarlet; styles 3. Pretty St John's

wort.

Hab. Deans and bushy places, common. July.

CLASS XIX.

SYNGENESIA.

* Many of the Sciences are evidently pursued, and considered as proper ob jects of study for all refined minds, merely on account of the intellectual pleasure they afford; merely because they enlarge our views of nature, and enable us to think more correctly with regard to the beings and objects surrounding us."-Sir H. DAVY,

I. POLYGAMIA ÆQUALIS.

*Corolla of each floret ligulate.

236. HYPOCHÆRIS. Receptacle chaffy; seed down feathery; calyx somewhat imbricated.

238. CICHORIUM. Receptacle slightly chaffy; down chaffy, shorter than the seed; calyx double.

235. CREPIS. Receptacle roughish; down simple, partly stalked; calyx double, outermost lax, tumid, deciduous.

234. HIERACIUM. Receptacle almost naked, dotted; down simple, sessile; calyx imbricated, ovate.

233. APARGIA. Receptacle naked, dotted; down feathery, sessile,

unequal and various; calyx double, innermost imbricated.

H