The Work Of Nature In The Months.

the beach itself ; few objects are more beautiful than a leaf of this jdantiu winter —glittering with hoarfrost , but still green . Formerly , according to Gorarde , this jilant was used medicinally , but is highly acrid and very dangerous . Bending our steps now inlandwe come upon a plant in

, bloom , which is still thought very highly of hi country districts , as a remedy for colds and hoarseness , we moan tho Black Horehound ; this plant , like many others , has the peculiar property of following man ' s footsteps . Sir T . L . Mitchell says

in his " Tropical Australia " : — " Here I perceived that Horehound grew abundantly , and was assured by Mr . Parkinson , a gentleman in charge of these Stations , that this jilant sjirhigs up at all sheep and cattle stations throughout the colony ; a

remarkable fact , which may assist to explain another , viz ., the ajipearance of the Couch Grass or the Dog ' s-tooth Grass , wherever the white man sots his foot , although previously unknown hi these regions . " The Horehound , with its purple

flowers , in appearance is vastly like a Nettle , although it does not much resemble the one we come to here , the Red Hemp Nettle , whose short stem bears blossoms of a purplish rose colour , mottled with crimson . Here in the hedgerow are the berried-stems of the Cuckoo-pintas well as

, the similarly ornamented cajisules of the Stinking Iris . Other jdants used medicinally are the Perfoliate Yellow Wort , whose stem , as the name imjilies , passes through the leaves . This jrlant has a flavour resembling that of Gentian

, to which its jiroperties may be somewhat allied . The beautiful Toad-flax , or Eggs and Bacon , whose leaves resemble those of Flax , but its blossoms the Snapdragon of our gardens ; a decoction of the blossoms is supposed to improve the comjilexiqn ,

whilst the juice mingled with milk is fondly supposed to poison flies ; there is no doubt that it attracts a good many , like most other liquids when poured out , whether it has any further effect we cannot say . This pretty plant is a favourite of one of our poets , who says ;—

" And thou Linana , mmgle in my wreath , Thy golden dragons , for though perfumed breath Escapes not from thy yellow petals , yet Glad thoughts bringest thou of hedgerow foliage , wet

With tears and dew ; lark warblings and green ferns O'erspanuing crystal runnels , where there turns And twines the glossy Ivy . " Which last , by the way , is this month in flower . We must not stay to more than mention tho Sea Bindweedwith its largo

, rose-coloured flowers and succulent leaves ; but we must have a word with the Mallow , which is really useful in medicine—tho leaves boiled are employed as a poultico for wounds and bruises , whilst Mallowtea is a well-known remedy for coughs and

colds . Several species were used by the Romans as food , and tliis jilant is even now a very common dish in Lower Egypt . Job speaks of the poor who " cut up Mallows by the roots . " The common Tansy , which is still in bloomused to be made into a

, kind of medicinal wine ; country people tolls us that meat rubbed with Tansy is safe from flies ; possibly ! but of what particular after-use the meat is capable , having been impregnated with Tansyflavour , we know not . In the Romisli

Church this plant typifies the " bitter herbs , " anciently commanded to be eaten at Passover time ; and Tansy cakes and Tansy , puddings are much approved vehicles of administering the supposed mental-medicine of Penance . Although we shall not find it herewe ought just

, to mention the Lesser Dodder of heaths and downs , with its waxen pinkish flowers —this is one of our few parasitic plants , growing freely on Furze , Heath , Thyme , Yetches , Trefoils , & c . The spotted Persicaria is at handhoweverwith its long

, , slender leaves , with their centre sjiot of crimson , said in Highland tradition to be a blood-drop from the cross ; of this family are the Snakeweed or Bistort and the Water-Pejipers , as well as the Knot Grass , to which ancient writers attributed many

healing virtues . Milton and other of our earlier poets , speak of the relish with which it is eaten by cattle , whilst Shakspeare mentions it as the " Hindering Knot Grass ; ' ' its universal presence but little beauty is thus described- ^ -

" By the lone quiet grave , In the wild hedgerow the Knot Grass is seen , Down in the rural lane , Or on the verdant plain , Everywhere humble , and everywhere green . " During our walk we can hardly have