CATKIN-BEARING TRIBE 143 



10 ; fertile flowers with a cup-shaped scaly involucre ; stigmas 3 ; fruit an 

 acorn. Name from the Celtic quer, beautiful, and cuer, a tree. 



9. Hazel-nut (Corylus). — Barren flowers in a cylindrical catkin ; stamens 

 4 — 8 ; fertile flowers 1 — 2 together, in a scaly involucre ; stigmas 2 ; fruit a 

 nut in a jagged involucre. Name from the Ureek Kwus, a casque, or cap, 

 from the form of the fruit. 



10. Hornbeam (Cdrpinns). — Barren flowers in a cjdindrical catkin; 

 stamens 3 — 12 ; fertile flowers in a terminal spike ; stigmas 2 ; nuts in pairs. 

 Name from the Celtic car, wood, and pin, a head. 



1. Gale {Myrka). 



Sweet Gale, or Bog Myrtle {M. gale). — Leaves lanceolate, broader 

 upwards, serrated ; stem shrubby ; catkins sessile, erect ; perennial. This is 

 sure to be a favourite plant in whatever spot it may grow. Both when fresh 

 and dry, whether in leaf only or with its catkins, it is most deliciously 

 fragrant ; and it has many rustic names and much rustic repute. It is called 

 Sweet Willow, Dutch Myrtle, Candleberry Myrtle, and in Hampshire is 

 known as the Withy-wind, or Golden Withy. The powerful odour of the 

 plant is well calculated to keep away insects ; and country people place it 

 among their clothes, both for this purpose and that it may impart to them its 

 pleasant scent. They hang boughs of the shrub about the beds, and, in 

 some parts of Scotland, fill the beds with the leaves. It is very astringent, 

 and is used for dyeing wool ; while in Wales it is sometimes mingled with 

 bark in tanning. The catkins, when boiled, yield a quantity of wax, though 

 not nearly so much as is aftbrded by the American candleberry myrtle, or 

 wax-bearing myrtle {Myrka cerifera), from the wax of which excellent 

 candles, soap, and sealing-wax are manufactured. Gerarde says of oiir native 

 species : " The Gaule groweth plentifully in the Isle of Ely, and in the fennv 

 countries thereabouts, whereof there is such store in that country that they 

 make fagots of it, and sheaves which they call Gaule sheaves, to burne and 

 heate their ovens." The dried berries are put into broth, and used in some 

 parts of France as spices ; and the plant is there called GaU and Pimento 

 Pioyal. 



But of all the economic purposes to which our Gale has been applied, 

 none are so important as its use in making ale. From time immemorial it 

 has been used, especially by the nations at the north of Europe, very exten- 

 sively for this purpose. In very early times a law was made in Sweden, 

 which in 1440 was confirmed by King Christopher, ordaining, that any 

 person collecting the Bog Myrtle on another man's estate, or from any 

 common before a certain period, should be subjected to a fine. The berries, 

 as well as the bitter leaves, are put into beer, and are also used for making 

 tea. 



The Sweet Gale grows in abundance on the mossy bogs of this kingdom, 

 and is especially plentiful in Scotland and Ireland. It is found from Suther- 

 land and the Grampian Mountains to Cornwall, and also from Lapland and 

 other northern countries of Europe, as far south as the north of Italy. It 

 rises, with many stems and branches, to the height of two or three feet, and 

 the branches are covered with a greenish-brown bark, marked with minute 



