ROSE TRIBE 213 



bend downwards in graceful motions, while the thrush and the blackbii'd are 

 singing to the rich accompaniment. Young flowers peep up from among dry 

 leaves ; but as yet no flowering tree or shrub enlivens the wood, save the 

 Blackthorn. Old country people call the winds of March the l)lack winds, 

 and say that the Blackthorn is so called because it flowers at that season ; 

 but there is reason enough for its name in the dark wood of the boughs, con- 

 trasted, too, as it is by the flowers. A cold March is, however, called in 

 villages a Blackthorn winter. Graham thus alludes to the Sloe : — 



" What though the opening spring be chill, 

 Although the lai'k, cheek'd in his airy path, 

 Ekt^ out his song, pcrch'd on tlie fallow clod 

 That still o'ertops the blade ? although no branch 

 Have spread its foliage, save the willow-wand, 

 That dips its pale leaves in the swollen stream ? 

 "What though the clouds oft lower ? these tlireats but end 

 In sunny showers, that scarcely fill the folds 

 Of moss-couch'd violet, or interrupt 

 The merle's dulcet note, melodious bird : 

 He, hid beneath the milk-white Sloe-thorn spray, 

 whose early flowers anticipate the leaf, 

 Welcomes the time of buds, the infant year." 



The Blackthorn bush is very frequent in our woods, coppices, and hedges, 

 gradually acquiring its leaves in April and May, so that when the flowers 

 are disappearing, it is clad in delicate verdure. These leaves have been dried 

 for tea, and mixed in large proportions with the Chinese leaf. "From the 

 result of a Parliamentary investigation, in 1835," says Professor Burnett, 

 " it appears that upwards of four million pounds of fictitious tea are on an 

 average commonly made in this country, and used to mix with that brought 

 here from China. Within a few years this illicit practice, which had pre- 

 viously been carried on by stealth, was attempted to be legalized by taking 

 out a patent for the preparation of British leaves as a substitute for tea, and 

 an extensive manufactory established for this purpose." It soon became 

 notorious, however, that this prepared leaf Avas purchased and mingled with 

 the tea sold as Chinese, and it was consequently suppressed ; a large quantity, 

 detected in the jirogress of preparation, was burned. 



The dark-purple fruit, the Sloe, is well known to every schoolboy, nor is 

 its austere flavour unpleasing to " boyish appetite." Its rich dark hue has 

 made it a favourite comparison ; and eyes as black as Sloes have been sung 

 by poets without number. Chaucer alludes to its colour : — 



' ' Ful crooked was that foule' sticke, 

 And knotte here and there also. 

 And blacke as berrie of any Slo." 



In early days Ave were wont to gather these fruits in large numbers, and, 

 enclosing them in a bottle, to bury them deeply in the earth till Christmas, 

 when they formed a preserve, Avhich, to childish taste, at least, was delicious, 

 though its astringent property must render it a very objectionable one to be 

 eaten in large quantities. Many a time, too, the roasted Sloe, jirepared by 

 placing a branch over the fire, serves as a luxury to country children, though 

 the process usually fails to remove the austerity of the fruit, since it is 

 seldom thoroughly roasted. The Sloe has Ijeen very extensively employed 



