APETALiE 241 



topiary in the seventeenth century. It is also much 

 in vogue at the present time. 



Being close-grained the wood has been used for a 

 variety of purposes for delicate turnery. In particular 

 it has been much used for mathematical instruments, 

 and for engraving, when wood blocks were in greater 

 demand. 



The leaves and bark have been used in medicine. 

 Formerly, by making a decoction from it, hair was 

 tinged an auburn colour. 



Like other trees the wood is one of those of which 

 the Cross w^as said to have been made. It was used 

 in ceremonies on Palm Sunday or the Saturday before. 



It is mentioned by Shakespeare : 



" Get ye all three into the Box Tree." 



Names of places such as Box Hill in Surrey, 

 Boxwell in Gloucestershire, show that the plant is 

 ancient. 



It is used with other evergreens for the decoration of 

 graves. Thus the Rev. H. Friend says : '* In several 

 places in the north of England, as we learn from the 

 poet Wordsworth and his annotator, it was customary 

 when a funeral took place to fill a basin with sprigs 

 of Box, and stand it at the door of the house from 

 which the coffin was taken. Each person who 

 attended the funeral was in the habit of taking a 

 piece of the shrub, which he carried to the grave- 

 side, and threw in when the corpse had been 

 lowered." 



VOL. III. 16 



