BOTANICAL KAMBLES. 173 



of Willow, Osier, and Sallow, serve to rank them among the first in our list 

 of economical plants." ''The Salix caprea is the earliest of its kind; the 

 wood is useful for hurdles, and for the handles of implements; the bark 

 possesses considerable tanning properties, and has been employed with success 

 instead of Cinchona — the Peruvian Bark. Rice Paper, as it is called, which 

 comes from China, is made of the inner bark of a species of Willow. The 

 Common Poplar, (Populus fastigiata,) belongs also to this order, but it can 

 scarcely be called indigenous. It is much cultivated in France for building 

 purposes; and along the banks of the Saone and Rhone it grows so rapidly 

 that, although an inferior kind of timber, it increases in value one franc every 

 year. Planted in double rows by the sides of canals in Belgium and France, 

 these lofty and majestic trees give quite an oriental character to the country; 

 and by their perpendicular lines form a pleasing contrast to the level plains 

 in which they are situated. On crossing a bridge over one of these canals, 

 the avenues of majestic Poplars on either hand infinitely surpass in beauty 

 and grandeur the stupendous colonnades of Ancient Egypt; so puny are the 

 noblest works of man compared with the sublime creations of Nature." 



This long digression on Poplars and Willows has brought us to the gorse- 

 covered Downs just below Hollingsbury Castle. Here we get an excellent 

 idea of the general character of the South Downs. On one side we look over 

 several undulations to the Devil's Dyke and the Dyke House, so welcome to 

 the weary wanderer over these almost houseless regions; before us is Clayton 

 hill and tunnel; a little to our right the border of Stamner Park and the 

 road to Ditchling Beacon, the highest point on the South Downs, whence is 

 an extensive panoramic view of the Weald as far as the chalk hills beyond 

 lleigate; in the valley below us is the quiet village of Patcham, with its neat 

 windmill on a rising knoll, its peaceful church and church-yard, where 



"The rude forefatliors of the hamlet sleep." 



Crossing the ploughed fields as well as we can we shall find a crooked lane 

 that leads to the village. The air is fragrant with the perfume of Violets, 

 and the sides of the lane are beginning to look gay with the few spring flowers 

 that we have already observed. 



We are now in the village, and here is mine hostess of the Black Horse, 

 the Ultima Thule of our day's ramble, where we may pour a moderate libation 

 of the barley juice, and make a burnt offering of that fragrant weed, Nicotiana 

 Tahacum, to the gods and goddesses of the Botanical world. The ale will 

 strengthen us for our dusty walk to Brighton; and surely if the ladies raise 

 no objection, the Botanical student has no right to despise so interesting a 

 weed as the "far-famed Tobacco." 



April, 1853. 



