Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 29.djvu/385

Rh Asclepias cornuti. Now, does not the fact that plants which differ so widely from one another, save in the one respect of secreting a white or milk-like juice, are alike reputed to possess this power of removing warts, probably show that this virtue is entirely imaginary and the result of the accidental similarity in their juices? With or without reason, in Eastern Massachusetts it is thought that bathing warts with rain-water that chances to stand in a yellow-oak stump will cure them. Another remedy is to rub them with a bean-leaf and then hide the latter. Or, again, steal a bean, rub the warts, throw the bean on moist earth or bury it, and, as the bean sprouts, it is supposed the warts will gradually disappear. Another "cure" is to cut a notch in a sprout of an apple-tree, rub the wart across the notch, and as the notch grows up the wart will be removed.

Those who were pupils in Western district schools twenty or thirty years ago probably remember how if a child was stung by a wasp or bee the immediate cry from the playfellows was, "Get three leaves!" "Rub it with three leaves!" And forthwith three leaves were plucked from any three plants whatever, quickly crushed in the hand and held on the bee-sting, and, no matter what leaves had been found, there was perfect faith that the pain would soon be relieved.

There is a saying among young sportsmen that, to spill shot in the first load in hunting, means "no game."

Many a half-grown lad believes that virtue is imparted to the bait by rubbing it, before casting his line into the water, with the hard callosity from a horse's fore-leg; these horny growths are therefore eagerly sought about the stable or the horseshoer's shop and are carried about in the pocket in spite of their strong scent. Another supposed charm is to spit on the bait. It is just possible that some odor lent the bait by either of these substances does attract the attention of the fish, but I have no sufficient evidence of this. In some parts of New England boys dislike to meet a lone crow when going fishing, as they say this foretells bad luck. Silence is the law of good anglers (of larger growth), but boys sometimes hope to "get a bite" by repeating over and over

 Fishy, fishy, come bite my hook, I'll go captain, and you'll go cook (ed in the pan)."

The confidence which children have in the various incantations which they repeat for certain purposes is most interesting. In different localities they utter various formulæ when an ant-lion's den is discovered. Children I knew years ago in Northern Ohio would quickly bend down over the little funnel in the sand and solemnly repeat in rather a loud monotone, "Mooly-up," "Mooly-up," until the sand began to be stirred by the creature concealed below, which doubtless was attracted by the crooning sound, and supposed it to be made by some