96 ENGLISH BOTANY. 



out the figtii'e of a parterre. In all cases it presents a most agreeable verdui'e to the 

 eye, and preserves the idea of cheerfulness even in winter, when almost every other 

 tree appears " mourning for the absence of the sun." It grows slowly, rarely making 

 shoots of more than 6 or 8 inches annually. In old gardens we frequently see box-trees 

 cut into all sorts of fantastic shapes — to our modern taste disfiguring the natural growth 

 of the tree, but greatly admired in ancient times. Pliny, in his garden at Tusculum, 

 had hedges and bushes of box cut into figures of birds and animals, and he mentions 

 a lawn as being adorned with similar decorations, and enclosed with verdant statuary. 

 This practice was very common in all Roman gardens, and even in modern Rome at 

 the present day we hear of it existing. Mr. Loudon says, in 1844 : " In the garden 

 of the Vatican, the name of the Pope, the date of his election, &c., may be read from 

 the windows of the Palace in letters of box." Virgil calls it — 



" Smooth-grained, and proper for the turner's trade. 

 Which curious hands may carve, and steel with ease invade." 



The box-tree appears first to have been mentioned by Theophrastus, who ranks the 

 wood with ebony, on account of the closeness of its grain. It takes a fine polish ; is 

 genei-ally of an even yellow tint all through. For wood-engraving it is not only the 

 best material yet discovered, but the only one that admits of the finely-cut lines that 

 are necessary to produce the beautiful eflfects aimed at by the modern artist. English 

 box- wood is, however, inferior to that obtained from Turkey, Spain, and other southern 

 countries, though it fetches a very high price when of any useful size. For turnery 

 the root is chiefly used in France. The town of St. Claude, which is near a large box- 

 forest, is entirely inhabited by turners, who make snuif -boxes, rosaries, forks, spoons, 

 buttons, &c., from box- wood. The wood of some roots is most beautifully marked, and 

 the price of the ariicles manufactured varies accordingly. Box- wood is very apt to split 

 when drying, but, to prevent this, the French turners put the wood designed for their 

 finest works into a dark cellar as soon as it is cut, where they keep it from three to 

 five years, according to circumstances. At the end of the given time they strike ofi" the 

 sap-wood with a hatchet, and place the heart- wood again in the cellar till it is wanted 

 for the lathe. For the most delicate articles, the wood is soaked for twenty-four hours 

 in fresh, very clear water, and then boiled for some time. When taken out of the water 

 it is wiped perfectly dry, and buried till wanted for use in sand or bran, so as to be 

 completely excluded from light and air. Articles made from wood thus prepared 

 resemble Tunbridge ware in appearance, and are highly valued. The box- wood that is 

 used by wood-engravers is chiefly imported from Tui'key or Odessa, and sells in London 

 for from 71. to 14/. a ton, the average consumption in Britain being about 600 tons. 

 In France the native trees are seldom of sufficient size for wood-engraving, and wood 

 to the amount of 10,000 francs is annually imported from Spain. The box-trees that 

 were cut down on Boxhill in 1815 sold for upwards of 10,000/., and were chiefly used 

 for turning. The art of cutting on wood was invented before that of printing, and it 

 is supposed to have been practised between the years 1400 and 1430. It was first 

 used for books of devotion and playing-cards. The earliest specimen extant is now in 

 the possession of Earl Spenser, and represents St. Christopher carrying the infant 

 Saviour ; ihe date is 1423. In the gardens at Leven's Grove, in Westmoreland, there 

 are some fine specimens of topiary work done in the time of James II. Wood- en graving 

 is now carried to great perfection, and it is interesting to trace its development, from 

 the early attempts at the mere* rude outlines of figures on a block, to the finished and 

 delicate designs of the present day, which bring the works of some of our best artists 

 within the reach of the humblest lovers of art. 



