its little stalk of white flowers. It is a small annual plant, and lasts but for a few weeks; the leaves are all towards the base, ovate or oblong. The seed-pods burst open in the month of May, and scatter the seeds into the ground, where they lay securely till the next season. The tiny flowers droop at night to keep the stamens from the chilly dews of the early spring. The common name, Whitlow-grass, is given on account of the use of the leaves as a poultice in those unpleasant swellings.

It belongs to the genus Erophila of De Candolle, a pretty name, expressive of its early appearance.

COMMON WATER-CRESS.

NASTURTIUM OFFICINALE.

NASTURTIUM OFFICINALE also known as Sisymbrium Nasturtium, the Common Water-cress-should be familiar to every one, as belonging to the family Cruciferæ. It is very likely to be confounded with a poisonous plant with which it grows, the Fool's Cress, as it is called (Sium nodiflorum). From this it may always be distinguished, and, in fact, from all other Umbelliferæ, by the petioles of the leaves not forming a sheath round the stem. In addition to the characters of the genus, the Water-cress is known principally by the form of its leaves. The leaf is composed of from

five to seven leaflets, which are arranged opposite each other on a common leaf-stalk with a terminal leaflet. The leaflets are somewhat heart-shaped and slightly wavered or toothed; they are succulent and their surface is smooth. The terminal leaflet is always the largest. The petiole or leaf-stalk does not in any manner embrace the stem. The flowers are white, and the pods, when ripe, are about an inch long. It is a native of rivulets throughout the world, and is very plentiful in our own country. The ancient reputation of this plant as an article of food, valuable both for its pleasant pungent taste and its antiscorbutic properties, is well founded. Recent writers on the subject of diet have shown that in partaking of fresh uncooked vegetable food in the shape of salads or fruit, we are obtaining those salts of potash and other constituents so necessary to health, which in the process of cooking are dissolved away.* Water-cresses are said to contain iodine.

No better vehicle for the introduction of these important substances can there be than fresh bright Water-cresses; and our old friend Gerarde's notion of their value presages all the modern discoveries as to their virtue. He says that the eating of Water-cresses restores their wonted bloom to the cheeks of sickly young ladies. He might have added that a walk to the running stream where they grow would enhance the effects of the remedy. So large is the consumption

* See Dr. Lankester's 'Lectures on Food.' London: R. Hardwicke.

of Water-cresses in London that they are cultivated by market-gardeners to a great extent by means of artificial water-supplies; but none are so delicious as those from natural streams. Our popular street-cry has been rhymed by Swift thus :—

"Fine spring water-grass, fit for lad or lass."

The name cress has, according to writers, many origins. One says it signifies water cross, from its cruciate flowers. Chaucer employs the Saxon word kers (cress) to signify anything worthless :

"Of paramours ne raught he not a kers."

From which, perhaps, is derived the phrase of not caring a curse for a thing. Nasturtium is a name given to all these biting plants, each being a nasus tortus, or nose-twitcher. Pliny records that they put the nose into convulsions. Long ago the refreshing nature of these plants as food was recognized, and there is a Greek proverb, “Eat cress to learn more wit." Knowing, as we now do, the influence of the physical over the mental, we can rationally understand the proverb.

There are several other species of Nasturtium native in England-the Creeping Cress, N. Sylvestre or N. Palustre; the Water-rocket, N. Terrestre; and the Water-radish, N. Amphibium.