In allusion, it has been suggested, to the fact that the ash is a capital
tree for draining the soil in its vicinity.
But leaving trees, an immense number of proverbs are associated
with corn, many of which are very varied. Thus, of those who contrive to
get a good return for their meagre work or money, it is said:--
"You have made a long harvest for a little corn,"
With which may be compared the phrase:--"You give me coloquintida (colocynth) for Herb-John."
Those who reap advantage from another man's labour are said to
"put their sickle into another man's corn," and the various surroundings
of royalty, however insignificant they may be, are generally better, says
the proverb, than the best thing of the subjects:--
"The king's chaff is better than other people's corn."
Among the proverbs relating to grass may be mentioned the popular
one, "He does not let the grass grow under his feet;" another old version
of which is, "No grass grows on his heel." Another well-known adage
reminds us that:--
"The higher the hill the lower the grass."
And equally familiar is the following:--"While the grass groweth the seely horse starveth."
In connection with hops, the proverb runs that "hops make or break;"
and no hop-grower, writes, Mr. Hazlitt,[3] "will have much difficulty in
appreciating this proverbial dictum. An estate has been lost or won in
the course of a single season; but the hop is an expensive plant to rear,
and a bad year may spoil the entire crop."
Actions which produce different results to what are expected are thus
spoken of:--
"You set saffron and there came up wolfsbane."
In Devonshire it may be noted that this plant is used to denote
anything of value; and it is related of a farmer near Exeter who, when
praising a certain farm, remarked, "'Tis a very pretty little place; he'd let
so dear as saffron."