23S 



ROSACEA 



of the fruit ; but many etymologists think that the haw took its name from 

 the tree, and that the English word is a corruption of the Clerman or Dutch 

 name of Hedgethorn ; the Germans terming our plant Ilagcdorn, and the 

 Dutch Haagdorn. Our name of Whitethorn has its synonym in several 

 countries : thus the Italians term it Bianco spino, and the Spaniards Espino 

 bianco. And the name by which it is called in France has a very elegant 

 allusion. The French term it AuMjnnc, signifying the morning of the year, 

 the word auhe expressing the white or grey twilight before sunrise. Though 

 our haws are of little worth to any but the schoolboy, the fruits of some 

 species are good, and the Azarole of South Europe is the very pleasant and 

 juicy fruit of a Hawthorn. The old herbalists recommended that the 

 common haws should be bruised and boiled in wine, and. taken as a remedy 

 for "tormenting pains"; while they held also that sponges dipped in the 

 distilled water of the haws, and applied to "any place where Thorns or 

 splinters doe abide in the flesh, it will notably draw them out." The appli- 

 cation probably would be useful, as it would have the eftect of a poultice. 

 The bark of the Hawthorn affords a good yellow dye, and when mixed with 

 copperas gives a black colour. 



The following verses were written for this volume by H. G . Adams : — 



To THE Hawthorn-tree. 



"Oil fair and fragrant Hawthorn-tree 1 

 Tliou hast thy nectar for the bee ; 

 For every insect roving free, 



Thou hast thy dewy wine ! 

 Thou hast thy perfume for the breeze, 

 And, human hearts to cheer and please, 

 What pk'asant reminiscences 



And memories are thine ! 



"How many tones of childish mirth, 

 How many hearts that knew no dearth, 

 Have hail'd thy blossoms' annual birth 



A wonder, ever new ! 

 How many tiny feet have trod 

 With eager haste the daisied sod 

 To pluck thy gem-environ'd rod, 



Or but thy bloom to view ! 



"Oh fair and fragi-ant Hawthorn -tree ! 

 That deck'st the landscape gloriously, 

 It is a joy to gaze on thee, 



And thy perfume inliale ; 

 It is a pure delight to hear 

 The throstle greet thee, year by year, 

 And mark thy snowy wreaths appear, 



Pride of the Euirlish vale ! 



' How many wanderers far away 

 Fiom old familiar paths that stray. 

 Long once again to gather ' May ' 



From off thy laden bough ; 

 Long for the meadows fresli and green, 

 And the clear streams, meandering seen 

 Beyond the hedgerow's leafy screen — 



Seen but in visions now ! 



' Oh fair and fragrant Hawthom-tree ! 

 A gi'acious boon vouchsafed to be 

 To pilgrims treading wearily 



The rugged ways of life ; 

 We bless thy Maker — thine and ours ! 

 Who covers all thy thorns with flowers. 

 To mind us of the heavenly bowers 



Where cometh care nor strife. 



' How many sinking hearts that fain 

 Aside the buiden would have lain 

 Have ceased to murjnur and complain 



When gazing on thy bloom ! 

 Wliich spake to them of sunny days, 

 Of God's benign though hidden ways. 

 And of the glorious light that plays 



Above the riven tomb." 



18. CotoneAstek. 



Common Cotoneaster (C imlgdris). — Leaves oval, rounded at the 

 base ; flower-stalks and margins of the calyx downy. Plant perennial. 

 This plant is not known to occur in a truly wild state in more than one place 

 in this kingdom. This is at Great Orme's Head, in Caernarvonshire, where it 

 grows on limestone cliffs. In May and June the small solitary rose-coloured 

 drooping flowers peep from among the dark green leaves, and are succeeded 



