Page:Glossary of words in use in Cornwall.djvu/310

A 6L08SART OF DEVOKSHIRE PLANT NAMES. 41 a 'Devonahiie fonn of Hazel by transposition of the liquid and sibilant (Qf. Halsb, and Britton, p. 356.) Oajl, Acer campeslre^ L. I have been astonished to find how constantly the Maple is called Oak. On Whit-Monday, which this year was Oak-apple Day as well (May 29th), I took an early walk into Bradley Woods. Here I met a number of children decorated with Maple, and asked them what it was for. " It 's Oak-apple Day, sir ; and if you ain't got a piece of oak-apple they 'U pinch you, or sting you." (See Nettle above.) " WiU they 1" I replied, " then I must get a piece." Here 's a piece, sir," said a bright lad. It was a sprig of maple, as was all the rest they had. I said, "This is not oak, is it)" to which they all replied, It's oak- apple, sir. " I could give illustrations from conversations with grown people showing the same error. Britten (p. 356) gives Dog Oak as a Yorkshire name for the Maple. (Earle, Ixix. 17, 21.) Oak-apple. Sprigs of Oak or Maple employed on the 29th May. See the last entry. There need be no apples on the sprig. Oak-mabblb. a common name for the Oak GkJl or Apple, which when ripe is used for the game of marbles. Oils. The beard or spikelets of Barley. Variously spelt and pronounced, as Ails, Aisles, Oyls, lies, &c. Old Man, Artemisia Abrotanum^ L. (See Boy's Love, &c., Britten, p. 358; Prior, p. 171, for explanation; with which com- pare Aubrey's Remaines of OeniUisme, pi 185.) Old Man's B^sabd, (1) Clematis Vitalba, L. The Traveller's Joy. A name well known in many places on account of the long feathery awns which follow the flowers, and remain on the rambling stems for month& (2) The bushy excrescence from rose-bushes, especially the Dog- rose, or Briar, looking like a brush. Donnerbesen in German. The generation of this nest-like growth was ascribed to lightning. (3) Saxifraga sarmerdosa, L. Also called Aabon'b Beard, which see. (Gf, Prior, p. 171, who mentions only (1); and Britten, pp. 358, 359, where two other plants are mentioned as bearing the name in books or elsewhere.) (4) Hypericum calycimimy L., also known as Aaron's Beard (which see). One o'Glock. '* We have the . . . 'shepherd's calendar' and the * one o'clock,' the very dial of poetry," says Mrs* Bray {Borders of TauMxr and Tavy, i. p. 273) ; but beyond this poetic description ^e gives us no clue to &e flower. Possibly the Goat's-beard may be intended; but so far I have failed to unearth the name in Devonshire. Mr. Worth, however, informs me that he has heard the name applied to the seeding Dandelion. OwN-ioN. A very common pronunciation of Onion, just as o-re» is of oven. Obange Blossom, PhUadelphus coranariusy L. The flowers only.