Folklore of Plants and Flowers. AST spring we had the pleasure of recommending to our numerous readers, who take an interest in gardening, the excellent annual entitled "One and All" Gardening. Edited by Mr Edward Owen Greening, and published by the Agricultural and Horticultural Association Ltd., 92 Long Acre, London W.C., the book is published at the extraordinary low price of 2d, or 4d post free. The publication is full of beautiful illustrations and should be in the at one time or place be held quite in different regard to what it is at another. Folklore is to me most interesting, and at the Editor's invitation I have pleasure in giving a few examples of the folklore of flowers, and hope that readers will have as much pleasure in perusing as I have had in collecting. Lilies have a great. deal of myth and lore associated with them. They have been considered the sacred flowers of various gods and goddesses. The altars of Juno and Diana were strewn with garlands of lilies, and the unopened lily-buds were laid on the knees of Osiris in the ancient Egyptian temples, as well as before the image of Apepi-god of the Nile. From out a lily cup arose the infant god Horus, and a great many similar instances of veneration could be cited. A Spanish superstition attributes to the red lily the power of restoring human form and speech to such unfortunate folk as have been changed into animals by some witch or wizard. The Germans say that the lily dispels all enchantments when gathered with prayer, whilst in India. it is regarded us the type of fertility, and the god of love-Kama -is personified as a child rising from an open "Why this flower is now called so, Who a sprightly springall loved; Up she got upon a wall, Tempting down to slide withal; But the silken twist untied, So she fell, and, bruised, she died. Love, in pity of the deed, And her loving luckless speed, One Perhaps the flower which is more revered 'oday than any other is the forget-me-not, regardled as the emblem of true friendship, and universally held in high esteem. It has many legends attached to it-tragic and pathetic, amusing and weird-but interesting all. runs beautifully thus:-When the heavens and earth had been summoned into being, and man had been called to taste the joys and glories of the celestial Eden, every living thing was brought unto Adam that it might inherit from him its befitting name. And flowers of every varied hue were among the lovely objects that his eyes did rest upon; and, as he named each of them according to its own peculiar form, or fragrance, or colour, he added, "Be ye mindful of the name by which the image of your Creator hath called you." And it was yet but a short time afterwards that a floret, arrayed in the meek azure of the firmament, spake unto Adam, saying, "Lord, by what name didst thou call me? Of a truth it ashameth me that I did not heed it." And the first man answered, saying, "Forget-me-not." Then the floweret drooped its head, and went and hid itself in the lonely shade beneath the bough that waveth over the murmuring brook, and there it bideth mourning; and when the gentle hand of friendship or the eager finger of love stoopest to pluck it in its lowliness, it still doth whisper softly, "Forget-me-not." Another legend of the same flower speaks of two lovers walking beside a stream, on the farther side of which the maid espied some of these pretty flowers, which she desired to possess. Eager to serve, her chivalrous knight crossed the stream and gathered the flowers, but on returning slipped upon the mossy stones and fell into the stream. But ere he sank beneath the surging waters ne threw the flowers to his distracted "fiancee" on the bank, and cried, "Forget-me-not." Most readers will have heard of the edelweiss which grows in the Swiss mountains, a flower which, too, has its share of legendary romance. This legend appeared in the "One and All" Gardening for 1905, but I may add a verse -n praise of the flower: "Far up on sternest Alpine crests, A tiny flower, pale and sweet, That blooms o'er breath of ice, Who find the edelweiss." No eye can o'erlook, when 'mid a grove In many places crosses are made of the wood of the mountain ash to ward off evil spirits, and the Danes, who considered the wood as a specific against storms, used it in the making of their ships. This tree has several names given to it, and no doubt many will know it as "rowan" or "wigan" who do not recognise it by its proper name. The Aberdonians have a saying, "As sour as roddens," referring to the scur nature of the berries. Several rhymes testify to the faith in sprigs of mountain ash as protective measures: "Rowan tree and red thread Haud the witches a' in dread." Put the witches to their speed." Scottish herd-boys prefer sticks of this tree, as in belabouring the cattle the stick is sure not to effect any serious injury. Among plants said to denote misfortune if seen in dreams is the cherry, which indicates disappointment in marriage and inconsistency. An abundant crop of cherries is said to be a good omen, hence the saying, "A cherry year a meiry year. The two sayings, "Eat peas with the king and cherries with the beggar," and "Those who eat cherries with great persons shall have their eyes squirted out with the stones," are said to have arisen from the inconvenience of eating cherries by reason of the stones. A person having a ready wit for adapting himself to circumstances is said to have "a ready mouth for a ripe cherry." The beauty of the cherry has earned the saw that "woman and a cherry are painted for their own harm." The cherry is associated with the Virgin Mary from the following legend:-"Being desirous one day of refreshing herself with some cherries which she saw hanging upon a tree, she requested Joseph to gather some for her. But he hesitated, and said mockingly, 'Let the father of thy child present them to you." But these words had been no sooner uttered than the branch of the cherry-tree inclined itself of its own accord to the Virgin's hand." St Peter once had a cherry given him by Christ, with the advice not to despise small things. The primrose, of which Wordsworth wrote: "A primrose by the river's brim, A yellow primrose was to him, And it was nothing more," is not without its mythical associations-indeed it would almost be surprising if such a popular flower were without such. In some of the northern parts primroses are used as a charm to fortell the constancy of a lover. The stamens have their tops cut off, and the flower so treated laid aside for a day. If the stamens shoot up to their original height, all is well; but if not, disappointment and sorrow are sure to come. Some consider it unlucky to bring primroses into the house at all, and others would not take in a less number than thirteen, else the hens belonging to the occupants of the house would hatch only as many chickens as the number of primroses. 11 one householder had a grudge against another, he would take only one or two primroses into the house of his neighbour to ensure that that person's hens should hatch only one or two chickens for each sitting. If of a kindlier disposition, he would take in a large handful that the brood might also be numerous. And so I might go on filling page after page with interesting folklore. And what is very curious is that, notwithstanding the march of intellect, many of these myths still find adherents in this enlightened age, but as these beliefs are slowly dying out, it is necessary that permanent records be kept of them for future references." CHARLES MOSELY. The Editor of "One and all Gardening" is thus referred to by the London correspondent of several newspapers: Mr Edward Owen Greening, speaking at the Golder's Green Crematorium at the funeral of Mr G. J. Holyoake, after adverting to the fight they waged together against slavery at the time that Lancashire was disturbed by the American war, made a striking statement with regard to the power of politics to improve the condition of the people. He quoted Mr Holyoake as saying, with almost his last words, "What I have cared for most in my life has been co-operation." Inside cooperation, he was the stout and strenuous advocate of co-partnership of the worker. Mr Greening went on to say that, like all great religious teachers, he felt that the salvation of men must come from the inward centre and work from the heart and mind outwards. He wanted men and women to grow in mental strength and material well-being, by working together in mutual self-helpfulness. Mr Grening, it is interesting to remark, is himself founder of half-a-dozen prominent co-operative organisations, including the Co-operative Union of Great Britain, the Co-operative Production Federation, and the International Co-operative Alliance. Mr Greening was for fifteen years chairman of the National Co-operative Festival Society. He is, too, a well-known journalist, editor of "One and All Gardening" and the "Agricultural Economist,' the writer of articles in Macmillan's Dictionary of Political Economy, and author of a number of useful works on those popular branches of social reform which have enlisted his sympathies. MESSRS OLIPHANT, ANDERSON & FERRIER have in the press a volume by the Rev. Albert G. Mackinnon, M.A., of the United Free Church, Lochmaben, Dumfriesshire. It is a book for young men written in the language of to-day, and the title is, "Spiritually Fit: A Young Man's Equipment. The reverend author has contributed interesting matter to the pages of the BORDER MAGAZINE, and anything from his able pen is worthy the attention of our read ers. "Lock the Door, Lariston." [To the Editor of the BORDER MAGAZINE.] Sir, Readers of the BORDER MAGAZINE are indebted to Mr Sandison for bringing forward this interesting subject. It is to be hoped that, as the result of your opening your pages to this discussion, the authorship of the ballad may be settled beyond dispute, and the honour given to whom the honour is due. Mr Sandison quotes as his authority on Mr Gray's behalf "The Border Exploits," published at Hawick in 1812. Let me trace the ballad a little further back. I have before me the "Dumfries and Galloway Courier" of the date Tuesday, 3rd September, 1811. (At that time the "Courier" was a weekly print, cost 6d.) Here on the front page the ballad appears. The author's name is not appended, but the Editor introduces it thus: which I have always found in the Shepherd's" version, is here awanting. So much for Mr Gray's side of the question. It is presumed the Mr Gray alluded to is Mr James Gray, who was one of Hogg's intimate friends during the brief period of "The Spy's" existence-1810-11. Hogg in his autobiographical notes tells us that Mr and Mrs Gray interested themselves in his paper with all their power, and contributed a number of essays to it. He was a frequent visitor at their house, and occasionally read to them portions of his, as yet unpublished, "Queen's Wake." On one occasion he left their house mightily offended, and in high dudgeon because his host and hostess had been so unkind as to leave his reading to listen rapturously to the "rhyming blethers of a half-crazed pedlar who called at their door. Now let us hear what Hogg has to say in support of his claim to this ballad. In 1831 Messrs Blackwood published "Songs by the Here Ettrick Shepherd," now first collected. at page 198 of the " first collection" appears "Lock the door, Lariston.' In a characteristic introduction to the song Hogg says: This Border song was published in my own weekly paper "The Spy," 30th March, 1811, and found its way into London papers, and partially through Britain, as the composition of my friend Mr Gray, now in India. I never contradicted it, thinking that anybody might know that no one could have written the song but myself. However, it has appeared in every collection of songs with Mr Gray's name. Although I look upon it as having no merit whatever, excepting a jingle of names, which Sir Walter's good taste rendered popular, and which in every other person's hand has been ludicrous, yet I hereby claim the song as one of my early productions-mine only, mine solely, and mine for ever. This is quite in the "Shepherd's best vein. The song, he claims, in his, and first appeared on March 30th, 1811. Making due allowance, in this introductory note, for the genial Shepherd's "guid conceit o' himsel'," which is always so transparent and consequently more amusing than harmful, can his assertion be confuted that "Lock the door, Lariston," is his, and his alone? While on the subject of the disputed authorship of "Lock the door, Lariston," perhaps the verses here given may be of interest to the readers of the BORDER MAGAZINE. They are taken from the "Dumfries Courier of date February 18th, 1812. From Liddesdale heights, when erst the day, At sound of clansman's woe, No more on Eskdale side appears, In brother-bands they form a host, That Gallic legions fly, And peeling bells, and volley loud, Elliot what now shall be thy care, When winter sweeps the mountain side, London, January, 1812. J. D. (The above lines were written in consequence of having read Mr Gray's spirited Border ballad "Lock the door, Lariston," which appeared in the "Dumfries Courier.") "LOCKERBIE LICK." Penielheugh. In memory thou standest of the brave Whoever climbs thee on a summer's day, Behold that pleasing vale, renowned in verse, Through which sweet Teviot glides 'mongst waving grain; Dark Ruberslaw, and Ettrick's baretopped chain; The Eildons, and the fat lands of the Merse; ; While southward in a semicircle stand The pasture hills that bound this Borderland. J. B. N. "The Passing of the Precentor." а NY book which preserves for us past or passing phase of national life is of value to the nation, and should be treasured by every true patriot. If we are to have sympathy with the men of the past we must have them so described that, as we read, we feel their presence with us. By this means we are able to judge their characters in the light of their environment, and to estimate the effect of their life and work upon the nation at large. To the present generation the Auld Kirk precentor is practically unknown, and we are deeply indebted to Mr Duncan Fraser, F.E.I.S. (precentor to the United Free Church Assembly), for the valuable little volume bearing the above title. The book is beautifully printed, and is issued from the famous John Knox's House, which, under the control of Mr W. J. Hay, is fast becoming noted for the publication. of books bearing upon Scottish life and char acter. Mr Fraser, a sketch and portrait of whom appeared in the BORDER MAGAZINE of October, 1904, is in himself an interesting link with the past, and is worthily carrying forward the traditions handed down to him from the fathers of psalmody and song. Not a few of our readers will recall the enthusiasm with which we sang the anthems of R. A. Smith, and some may even be able to recall the famous John Templeton, John Wilson, and the more recent David Kennedy, interesting portraits of whom appear in the volume. In addition to the four mentioned the volume contains portraits of Thomas Legerwood Hately, Thomas M. Hunter, David Stephen. William M. Miller, David Taylor, and Ludovic Grant Sandison, all men of mark in the annals of Scottish psalmody. The first portion of Mr Fraser's book contains some valuable historical notes, showing the importance of the office of precentor from the time of the Reforma tion, and gives in an interesting manner a clear idea of the various musical movements among the people. The concluding part deals with the power of psalmody and the changes which have taken place in recent years, while Parts II and III., Precentors and their Work," and "Lights and Shadows of Precenting," contain much interesting matter, and the numerous anecdotes will appeal even to readers who may not be deeply interested in the subject of the volume. As the author says in his preface, "he only touches the fringe of a sub |