Much good progress was made on writing the Folk Flora, with accounts for species A to CO (adder’s tongue, Ophioglossum vulgatum, to cornflower, Centaurea cyanus) and a number of others being completed.

With priority being given to this it was inevitable that other activities were neglected, so only two items of information were received.  Thanks to Jonathan Briggs of Mistletoe Matters – www.mistletoe.org.uk – for his account of the history of druids blesssing mistletoe (Viscum album) at Tenbury Wells, and to Julie Hawkins of Reading for her comments on the children’s pastime ‘Grandmother pop out of bed’, played with bindweed (Calystegia sp.) flowers.  The Archive now contains 7322 items of information from 1962 informants.

5897 searches of the website were made during the month; down on August, but up on previous Septembers.

Visits were made to Sowerby Bridge to see its annual rush-bearing, and to Dublin for the annual meeting of the Society for Folk Life Studies.

Image: manuscript collection, National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin, a magnificent resource which is utilitised in the writing of the Folk Flora; September 2016.