THE NATURAL GARDENS OF THE RIVER EAMONT.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE °SPECTATOR.") SIR; I read with much interest the article on the above- named subject in your issue of August 29th. The writer speaks with some hesitancy of the " great clusters pf yellow buttons " as probably " fleabane." He would perhaps allow me to suggest a more likely name, " tansy," the flowers of which are perfect " buttons," whilst those of the " fleabanes" are encircled by rays which modify the button character. " Tansy " is also popularly supposed to be obnoxious to fleas. I think also the writer will discover that he has made a very natural mistake in using the name " burdock " when he meant " butter-burr," and that when he speaks of " a bed of yellow butter-burrs " he means " coltsfoot." The " coltsfoot" and the " butter-burr " are closely allied, and may possibly be inter- changeably named by some.—I am, Sir, &c.,
W. R. C. C.
[The first-mentioned flowers were doubtless tansy. The other names, however, must stand. " Butter-burr " is one of the popular names for marsh marigold, which were the flowers growing on the islet in spring. The giant leaves of the burdock follow a flower, which, like that of coltsfoot, comes up in a spike long before a leaf appears.—THE WRITER OF THE ARTICLE.]
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