The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-10-25
WORSHIP OF PLANTS.
Survivals Of the Practice Stin Lthgonnha
On In the Old WoraA.e


On In the Old Worid.r :.
The plant worship which holds 60
prominent place in the history of the
primitive races of mankind would ap-
pear to have sprung from q perceptioa
OF the beauty and utility OF trees. Sur
vivals' of this still linger ON insmany
parts of Europe. The peasants in
Bohemia will sally forth into their
gardens before sunrise on Good Friday,
and falling upon their knees before. .
tree will exclaim: II pray. o green
tree. that God may make thee good. !"
At night time they will run to and, fro
about their gardens crying: bud. @
trees. bud; or will fog you." Incur
own country the Devonshire farmers
and their men will to this day GO out
into their orchards after supper on the
evening of Twelfth Day, carrying with
them large milk pail of cider, with;
roasted apples pressed into it. ALI
present hold in their hands an earthen-
ware cup filled with liquor, and taking
up their stand beneath. those apple
trees which have borne the most fruit,
address them in these words:
Health to thee, good apple tree,
Well to bear pocket fulls, hat fulls,
Peck fulls, bushel bag fulls!
simultaneously dashing the contents
of their cups over the trees. In most
countries certain plants are to beifound
associated with witches and theirIcraft.
Shakespeare causes one of his witches
to discourse of root of ''hemlock
digg'd i the dark;' likewise also Of
''slips of yew silver'd in the moons
eclipse" Vervain was in olden times
known as ''the enchanter's plant;". rue,
again, was regarded as an antidote
against their spells and machinations.
Their partiality for certain trees is
well known. According to Grimm,
the trysting-place of the Neapolitan
witches was walnut tree near.
Benevento. In walnut and ell
der trees they are also said
to be in the habit of lurking at night
fall. Witches. too. had their favorite
flowers. Among these the foxgfove
was known as the witches bells;"
the harebell as the witches thin.
bles." Tradition asserted that on
moonlight nights they might be seen
flying through the air. mounted on the
stems of the ragwort, reeds or bull
rushes. Throughout Germany it is be-
lieved that witches career through the
midnight skies on hay. Many plants
were pressed into the service of
charms and spells for the detection of
witches and evil spirits when wander
ing about on their nefarious errands,
particularly the St. Johns wort. still
largely worn by the Germany peas
antry as kind of amulet on St. Johns
Eve. 1t was an old belief that all
baptized persons whose eyes had been
stepped in the green juice of the inner
bark of the elder tree would be en-
abled to detect witches any where.
The same property, according to Ger
man folklore. is possessed by the wild
radish. ivy and saxifrage on Wal
purgis Night. Among other plants
which have had the reputation OF
averting the crafts and subtleties of
withcraft, the juniper, holly, mistle-
toe. little pimpernel. herb paris, cycla-
men. angelica, herb betony, rowan
tree, bracken and twigs of the ash may
be mentioned. In the Rhine district
the water lily is regarded as antago-
nistic to sorcery. Lavender is be-
lieved in Tuscany to possess the power
of averting the evil eye. Olive
branches are said to keep the witches
from the cottage doors in the rural dis
tricts of Italy. and the Russian peas
antry will lay aspen upon the grave of
a witch to prevent her spirit from
walking abroad or exercising any evil
influence over her neighbors. s.-Gentle-
mans Magazine.