July 25.

St. James the Great, Apostle, A.D. 43. St. Christopher. Sts. Thea, and Valentina, and Paul, A.D. 308. St. Cucufas, A.D. 304. St. Nissen, Abbot.

St. James's Day.

On this day oysters come in; by act of parliament they are prohibited until its arrival. It is a vulgar superstition, that whoever eats oysters on St. James's day will never want money. The indifference to industry which such notions engender in many minds, can be testified by some of themselves, who falsify the frivolous legend by their present abodes in workhouses.

Apples were blessed on this day by the priest. There is a special form for blessing them in the manual of the church of Sarum. A greater blessing is conferred at Cliff, in Kent, by the rector there: by an old custom he distributes "at his parsonage-house on St. James's day, annually, a mutton pye and a loaf to as many as choose to demand it, the expense of which amounts to about 15l. per annum."* [1]

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FLORAL DIRECTORY.

Herb Christopher. Actæa Spicata.
Dedicated to St. Christopher.

Notes [all notes are Hone's unless otherwise indicated]:

1. Brand, from Hasted's Kent. [return]