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MESPI'LUS.*

PENTAGYNIA.

Cal. five-cleft: Petals five: (Apple deeply concave at the top, one, two, or five-celled. È.)

Kamschatka the haws are fermented into wine. It often happens that during the spring months, Hawthorn hedges suffer so severely from the ravages of insects, (combined with other less understood causes of blight), that the leaves are entirely consumed; the hedges presenting, for a long extent, the appearance of winter sprays, covered only with a cottony web. Of the caterpillars engaged in this denuding process, the principal performers have been found to be the larvae of the little Ermine Moths Phalena Evonymella, and P. Padella. E.) The wood is hard and tough, and is formed into axle-trees and handles for tools: (is good for the turner's use; combs were formerly made from the root. The seed of the Hawthorn seldom vegetates till the second year; but if turkeys be fed with these haws, and their egesta be planted in drills, the young plants appear above ground the first year: a fact from which it might not unreasonably be inferred that by the timely application of stimulating manure a crop may be raised the first season. Evelyn has the following curious remarks on this subject. "The haw, and many other seeds, being invested with a very hard integument, will now and then suffer imprisonment two whole years under the earth; and our impatience at this does often frustrate the resurrection of divers seeds of this nature; and thus will the seed of hollies, (concerning which there goes a tradition, that they will not sprout till they be passed through the maw of a thrush), sleep two entire years in their graves: also sometimes yew and sloe." But the same accurate authority further observes that the vegetation of such seeds may be ensured and expedited by being "washed, then buried and dried in sand a little moist, any time in December, and so kept in some vessel in the house all winter, and in some cool shady place abroad all summer; sow them the spring after:" thus ensuring the best of all fences, the

"Tutela naturalis et viva." Varro.

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The different species of Crataegus afford nourishment to Papilio Cratægi; (Arctia chrysorrhea, A. phæorrhæa, Noctua Oxyacantha, Curculio nitens, Pyrochroa rubens, Elodes pallida, Bilurus tomentosus and fumatus, Lagria hirta, Mordella aculeata, ChiloCacti, and quadri-verrucatus, Anaspis bi-fasciatus, Rhynchites æquatus, R. nanus, Galeruca Cratagi, Haltica ærata, Pontia Crategi, Lasiocampa Crategi, Callimorpha cæruleocephala, and Calosoma Inquisitor. The fortunate Entomologist may chance to discover nestled within the lovely blossom of the thorn, on a hot summer's day, the rare Buprestis nitidula, brilliant as an emerald. Vid. Curt. Brit. Entom. v. 1. pl. 31. A very destructive parasitic fungus, well known to gardeners as a kind of mildew or blight, and commonly taken for an insect, frequently attacks and distorts the younger leaves of the Hawthorn, Apple, and Peach trees, and seems to result from a peculiar state of the atmosphere. It is Sporotrichum macrosporum, of Link: forming a pulverulent hoariness, interspersed with very minute tufts; filaments few, branched, straggling; sporules large, obtusely oval." Grev. Fl. Edin. The leaves are also subject to Erineum clandestinum; "peridia lax, clavate, whitish; often concealed by the involute, diseased margin of the leaf." Grev. Scot. Crypt. 141.2; and Ecidium laceratum; Grev. Scot. Crypt. 209; “peridia densely aggravated, elongated, subimmersed, pale brown, irregularly torn; sporidia brown, copious;" a parasite of singularly curious structure, as displayed by Dr. Greville ; investing the leaves, small branches, and fruit of Hawthorn abundantly. Near the rustic bridge in the Belan grounds, at Wynnstay, North Wales, the Editor measured a Hawthorn six feet in girth, five feet from the ground, which may be considered an extraordinary size. As an isolated individual, few of its kind will be viewed with deeper interest than the identical Thorn planted by the hand of the ill-starred, but fascinating Queen Mary, in the garden court of the Regent Murray's house, and still extant. Its present dimensions are about five feet in girt near the base, dividing upwards into two branches, one nearly four

(From Mesos, middle, and wλw, to bind together; referring to its astringent qualities. E.)

M. GERMAN'ICA. Leaves spear-shaped, downy underneath: flowers solitary, sessile, terminal.

feet in circumference, the other three. A flattering representation of this remarkable tree appears in Jones's very elegant work, "Edinburgh Illustrated." Phillips justly remarks that "the garland of Flora does not possess a more charming blossom than this British hedge beauty; nor do the most luxuriant spices of Asia yield a more grateful perfume than this flowering shrub." Before the Christian era, according to Diodorus, the Troglodites adorned the funeral obsequies of their parents with branches of Hawthorn, as a joyful emblem of their lively faith that death was indeed the janua vite, having passed through which they should never again be separated. It was appropiated to the nuptial chaplets of Athenian maidens, and composed the fasces nuptiarum of the Romans: nor did our ancestors omit with it to decorate the May-pole on their Floral festival. In fact, whether the Hawthorn be permitted to live its century in wild luxuriance, attaining to the height of twenty or thirty feet, or be destined to submit to disfigurement and degradation in the more immediate service of man, it equally merits our regard. The standard tree, whether we view its flowers in the spring, its foliage in the summer, or its fruit in the autumn and winter, is one of the most ornamental plants placed singly, that can be scattered over a park or lawn. "In pearls and rubies rich the Hawthorns show,

While through the ice the crimson berries glow." Philips.

Nothing can exceed its loveliness in such situations during the months of May and June: especially as displayed in the natural glades of our extensive forests, or combined with park scenery as at Woburn, Bedfordshire; Eastwell, Kent, &c., where each bush at early morn, or eventide, bathed in nectareous dews, fills the circumambient air with most refreshing odours, and, in general effect, almost rivals the Hesperian groves. Nor should the Thorn or Quick be slighted in its more abject condition, where

"Fringing the forests devions edge,

Half rob'd appears the Hawthorn hedge;
Or to the distant eye displays

Weakly green its budding sprays."

But nowhere is this too generally despised tree observed to more advantage, or at least connected with more interesting associations, than when situated on the village green; where it may, for successive generations, have distinguished the arena of rural sports, and conferred a zest on many a passing event.

"The Hawthorn bush, with seats beneath the shade,
For talking age and whispering lovers made."

Adjacent to which should ever be seen the aspiring May-pole, decked with garlands of the choicest flowers; and which, even though originating in pagan rites, is worthy of being perpetuated through more enlightened generations, as the focus of joyous attraction, healthful exercise, and innocent amusement; preserving a happy medium between morbid refinement and gross sensuality: or further afield,

"Where every shepherd tells his tale,

Under the Hawthorn in the dale;"

Or as the oft-frequented "trysting tree" so emphatically described by the impassioned poet, "If heaven a draught of heavenly pleasure spare,

One cordial in this melancholy vale,

'Tis when a youthful, loving, modest pair

In other's arms breathe out the tender tale

Beneath the milk-white Thorn that scents the evening gale."

A very correct naturalist has observed, that few plants deviate from their stated season of blossoming so little as the Hawthorn being, in a long course of years, neither allared by the blandishment of the most seductive April, nor materially retarded even by "Chill Winter lingering in the lap of May."

The common Hawthorn sports in the following varieties: the large scarlet Hawthorn;

(Fl. Ross. 13. 1. E.)-Ludw. 88-Blackw. 154-(E. Bot. 1523. E.)—Ger. 1264. 1-Dod. 801. 1-Lob. Obs. 591. 1-Ger. Em. 1453. 1—Matth. 253Park. 1422. 2—J. B. i. a. 69—Trag. 1014-Lonic. i. 13. 1.

(A tree of very unequal, often humble and deformed, growth, spreading. Leaves four or five inches long, on short stalks, single-ribbed, assuming a handsome stellate form of growth. E.) Floral-leaf strap-shaped. Calyx fleshy, woolly within; teeth longer than the blossom. Stamens unequal, thirty or more. Summits cloven. Blossoms white, large. Fruit reddish brown, (depressed, concave at the top, austere till mellowed by keeping. In its wild state this tree is furnished with shining thorns, though when cultivated it is entirely without them. Roth and Hal. E.) MEDLAR TREE. (In all the hedges about Minshull, Cheshire. Mr. Du Bois. In Dill. About Ashburnham, Sussex, truly wild. Rev. J. Davies. Eng. Fl. E.) T. May.*

(M. COTONEASTER.

Leaves elliptic-ovate, entire, downy beneath :

germen smooth: styles three or four.

Hook. Fl. Lond. 207—Fl. Dan. 112—Pall. Ross. t. 14—Crantz. Austr. t. 2. f. 1—Amman. Stirp. t. 34—(Curt. Entom. pl. 129. E.)

A small bush, with alternate, spreading or partly recumbent, round, leafy, brown, smooth branches; downy and somewhat angular when young. Leaves alternate, deciduous, an inch long, more or less; green, smooth,

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from the additional splendour it acquires by its oblong, smooth, and large, bright scarlet berries, it is propagated to enliven plantations. Yellow Haw is deemed an exquisite plant," the buds at their first coming out in the spring are of a fine yellow, and the fruit is the colour of gold, and so continues all the winter. Maple-leaved Hawthorn has few thorns, larger leaves than common, succeeded by bunches of beautiful shining red berries. Nature seems to have peculiarly designed the double-blossomed kinds for the pleasure garden; they will blossom freely either as trees or dwarf shrubs, and nothing can be more attractive than the roseate hue of the pink kind. If such be the charms resulting from the general view of this plant in its pleuitude of florescence to the common observer; neither will the more strict scrutiny of its particular parts in their original simplicity yield less gratification to the scientific student; for, as is remarked in the Sylva Florifera, "the Botanist looks into the flowers of the Hawthorn, not merely to notice the stigma and to count the stamens which surround it, but he observes the shape of the five petals, whose concave forms protect the pollen, and mature it by acting as reflectors. He then sees them bend over their stamens, and rest their heads of pollen on the stigma. He is delighted with the regularity with which they discharge their prolific powder, and retire to give place to other stamens, until the whole have performed their office without confusion. He knows then that the petals have accomplished their part towards the formation of the future plant, and he sees them given to the wind without regret, because he understands it is necessary for the young fruit to enjoy the juices of the plant, without their being spent any longer on the petals." E.) *(This species and varieties are cultivated in gardens for the fruit.

"The Medlar, fruit delicious in decay." Philips.

"The Nottingham kind is considered, though smaller, preferable for richness and poignancy of flavour. When firm and sound, Medlars are of a singularly austere disagreeable taste; yet having lain some time after being gathered, till they assume a state of decay and become soft, they acquire a flavour extremely agreeable to many, though to others altogether unpalatable. These fruits should be gathered towards the end of October or beginning of November, when some should be laid in moist bran, (in several layers), to forward their decay; others on straw in the fruitery; those in the bran will begin to be ready for use in about a fortnight, and those laid on straw will come gradually forward in succession." Encyc. Brit. In the North of England it rarely ripens its fruit, though it there blossoms freely. Winch, Geog. E.)

and even above; white, cottony and veiny beneath. Foot-stalks short, downy. Stipulas in pairs, tapering, chesnut-coloured, smooth; fringed at the edges. Flower-stalks downy, from the same buds as the leaves, and always shorter than them. Bracteas minute, red, lanceolate, acute. Flowers drooping, pale red. Fruit finally turning black, mealy, taste

less.

DWARF QUINCE-LEAVED MEDLAR. Cotoneaster vulgaris. Lindl. in Linn. Tr. vol. xiii. Discovered on the limestone cliffs of the Great Ormshead, Carnarvonshire, in various places, by Mr. W. Wilson in 1825; particu larly near Llandudno, growing on the shelves of the rocks which incline to the north, in the vicinity of the New Mine. Sm. Hook. E.) S. July.* PY'RUS. Cal. superior, five-cleft: Petals five: (Pomum with two to five membranous, bivalved capsules: Seeds two. E.)

P. COMMUNIS. Leaves entire, serrated, smooth: flowers forming a corymb.

Blackw. 453—(E. Bot. 1784. E.)—Matth. 251—Lob. Obs. 590. 2—Ger. Em. 1457-Park. 1500. 1 and 2-Dod. 800-Ger. Em. 1456-Ger. 1267 to 1270 -Lonic. i. 11-Trag. 1045—Gært. t. 87.

Blossom white. (A tall tree; main branches upright, the smaller ones curving downwards: the younger leaves clothed with an evanescent woolliness. Leaf-scales strap-shaped. Corymb hairy. Fruit tapering towards the base, hard, acerb. Fl. Brit. E.)

WILD PEAR-TREE. IRON PEAR. (Welsh: Rhwning-bren; Gellyg-bren; N. W. Per-bren. S. W. P. Achras. Gært. E.) Woods and hedges. T. April-May.‡

(The roots of this shrub running very deep in the earth, it has been recommended by Linnæus for making low hedges, in dry broken ground: but Hooker states that it is liable to be browsed by sheep. E.)

+(According to De Theis, derived from the Celtic Peren; whence the Anglo-Saxon Pere, the English Pear, and French Poire. E.)

The Pear-tree loves a fertile soil and sloping ground; but will not thrive well in moist bottoms. It stands the severest winters and does not destroy the grass. The wood is light, smooth, and compact; it is used by turners, and to make joiners' tools; and for picture-frames to be stained black, it is particularly valuable. The leaves afford a yellow die, and may be used to give a green to blued cloths. The fruit is so austere (as to be relished only, like other crudities, by hedge-logs and swine; E.) but, when cultivated, highly grateful, (as is proved by the more than hundred varieties of excellent pears which all originate from this: and distinguished as summer, autumn, and winter fruit, afford a grateful supply throughout the year. E.) The juice of the fruit fermented is called Perry, large quantities of which are raised in Worcestershire and Herefordshire for that purpose. The Squash, the Oldfield, and the Barland Perrys are reckoned the best, and are little inferior to wine. (The superior excellence of French pears is supposed to arise, not altogether from advantages of climate, but partly from a practice which ought to be adopted by British pomonists, viz. the grafting on a quince stock which has the property of stunting the growth of pears, of forcing them to produce bearing branches instead of sterile ones, and of accelerating the maturity of the fruit. According to a report in "Annales de Chimie," tom. 68, by M. Dubuc, sugar has been prepared in France both from pears and apples, which are found to yield about one ounce of sugar from each pound weight of the fruit, and which might be afforded where pears and apples cost not more than one sbilling the hundred weight, for about twopence per pound. Near the parsonage house an Hom Lacy, a seat of the Duke of Norfolk, in Herefordshire, the Rev. R. Warner observed a most remarkable Pear Tree, covering nearly

P. MA'LUS. (Leaves ovate, acute, serrated: flowers in a simple sessile umbel. E.)

(Fl. Dan. 1101. E.)-E. Bot. 179-Blackw. 178-Ger. 1276. 1. 2. 3—Ger. 1272. 4-Ger. Em. 1461-Park. 1503. 2.

(A small tree with spreading knotty branches. Leaves when young downy underneath; stipulas strap-shaped: umbels terminal, sessile, hairy. Fruit roundish, an inch in diameter, umbilicated at the top and bottom, acid. Branches spreading, more horizontal than in the former species, tortuous. Fl. Brit. E.) Leaves more circular than those of the preceding species. Petals delicately tinged with red on the outside; bloss. very beautiful, and slightly fragrant.

WILD APPLE TREE. CRAB TREE. WILDING. (Welsh: Afulwydden.
Gaelic: Abhal-fiadhaich. E.) Woods and hedges.
T. May.t

a quarter of an acre, and forming an orchard of itself, having yielded for many years from twelve to sixteen hogsheads of Perry. This tree has spread from a succession of layers which have rooted and bear fruit. E.) Horses, cows, sheep, and goats eat the leaves, which afford nourishment to Papilio polychloros, Phalana Populi, lubricipeda, quercifolia, pudibunda, carulocephala, brumata, Pomonella, Aphis Pyri, Chermes Pyri, Musca Pyrastri, Linn. (A. Tinea, with a caterpillar having a yellowish body and black head, in early spring, establishes itself on the under surface of the leaves, in a downy, russet-coloured projection over a round excavation in the cuticle and parenchyma. The case in which the caterpillar resides is composed of silk, spun from its mouth, almost as soon as it is excluded from the egg. This little tent is preserved in a perpendicular position by silken threads, and is moved from one part of the leaf to another, the inner eating away the space immediately beneath it. When these little creatures abound to the great injury of Peartrees, every leaf will be found bristled with them, and covered with little specks, the vestiges of their former repasts.-Other curious details may be found in "Entomology" by Kirby and Spence, vol. i. 461. The leaves are also, in their decaying state, subject to the parasitic fungus, Ecidium cancellatum, with "capsules conical, red brown; at length splitting, forming a tuft of whitish, permanent threads, cohering at their apex." This fungus first appears in small, black, rough spots, on the upper side of the leaves, on an orange-coloured ground. Sowerby. 409.410; and similarly situated may likewise be observed, though not so commonly, Erineum Pyrinium, in broad oblong patches, changing from white to rust colour. E.)

* (From the Celsic Api, whence Teutonic Apfel, and English Apple. E.)

The Crab-tree flourishes better on declivities and in shady places, than in open exposures or boggy lands. Grass and even corn will grow beneath it. It is much used as a stock, on which to ingraft the better kinds of apples; because its roots are neither killed by frost nor eaten by field mice. The bark affords a yellow dye. The wood is tolerably hard; it turns very clean, and when made into cogs for wheels, obtains a polish, and wears a long time. The acid juice of the fruit is called Verjuice, and is applicable to recent sprains, and other cases as an astringent or repellent. With a proper addition of sugar it is probable that a very grateful liquor might be made with the juice, little inferior to Old Hock. Horses, cows, sheep, and goats eat it ; swine are very fond of the fruit. Linn. Phalæra dispar, Populi, Fastelina, Chrysorrhæa, Psi, Oporana brumata, Pomonella, Monacha; Aphis Mali; and Scarabæus Horticola feed upon it. (Of Cyder large quantities are made in Herefordshire, Devonshire, part of Worcestershire, Somersetshire, and Gloucestershire, in a soil of deep clay. The stronger sorts, as the Styre Cyder, will bear exportation to the East and West Indies. The Cyder Apple-trees were originally brought from Normandy, and it is supposed that the liquor would now be improved by a fresh importation. A simple method of forcing barren trees to bear fruit has, according to Dr. Noehden, been practised with success in Germany, and though perhaps more generally adapted to wall trees, may occasionally be applied to standards. At the budding season, make two circular incisions a quarter of an inch apart, quite through the outer and inner bark of the branches you intend to force. Remove the intervening ring of bark, leaving the wood bare. By this process the fruit will be increased both in size and quantity. Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq. F. R. S.

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