CHAP. CXIII. CONi'fER^. JUNl'pERUS. 2493 



whom they believed its perfume was acceptable, and burnt it in their dwell- 

 ings to keep away demons. A similar custom still prevails, to a certain 

 extent, in various parts of the Continent ; where the peasants believe that 

 burning juniper branches before their doors will prevent the incantations of 

 witches, and keep away evil spirits. It is probably in allusion to this belief 

 that Sir Walter Scott says, in the Lady of the Lake, — 



" A heap of wither'd boughs was piled 

 Of juniper and rowan wild, 

 Mingled with shivers from the oak. 

 Rent by the lightning's recent stroke." 



Properties and Uses. The wood is finely veined, of a yellowish brown, 

 and very aromatic. It weighs, when dry, above 42 lb. per cubic foot. It 

 makes excellent vine-props, but is generally considered too valuable to be 

 applied to such a use, as, from its beauty, and the high polish it will take, 

 it is employed for walkingsticks, cups, and various articles of turnery. It 

 makes excellent fuel, and is used in Scotland and Sweden for smoking hams. 

 The bark is made by the Laplanders into ropes. The berries are, however, 

 the most useful product of the juniper. Many kinds of birds feed on them ; 

 and, when burnt, they were formerly thought to possess the power of prevent- 

 ing infection. They are, however, now principally used in making gin, which 

 is simply a spirit distilled from corn, and flavoured by an infusion of these 

 berries. When crushed and distilled, the berries yield an essential oil. 

 They are used by the peasants, in some parts of France, to make a kind of 

 beer, which is called genevrette. For this purpose, they take equal parts of 

 barley and juniper berries, and, after boiling the barley about a quarter of an 

 hour, they throw in the juniper berries. They then pour the whole into a 

 barrel half full of water, and bung it closely for two or three days ; after 

 which they give it air to promote fermentation. Some persons add molasses 

 or coarse sugar, to make the liquor stronger. This beer is ready to drink in 

 about a week, and it is bright and sparkling, and powerfully diuretic. Apples 

 or pears, slightly crushed, are sometimes substituted for the barley ; but the 

 liquor thus made is apt to turn sour, or become vapid, in a short time. It 

 was formerly supposed that this shrub, when grown in hot countries, pro- 

 duced the substance called gum sandarach, which, when powdered, is called 

 pounce ; but it is now discovered that this gum is the produce of Callitris 

 quadrivalvis (see p. 2463.). The entire juniper bush was formerly much 

 employed in topiary work ; and Evelyn mentions that his brother had 

 an arbour, which three persons could sit in, cut out of a single plant. This 

 arbour was 7 ft. wide, and 1 1 ft. high. The juniper is occasionally still seen 

 in modern gardi;ns, trained and clipped into the form of an open bowl 

 or goblet. There is a fine specimen, a bowl, in the gardens of Mrs. Marryatt, at 

 Wimbledon House, and another in the nursery of Mr. Waterer, at Knaphill. 

 In France, being one of the few evergreen shrubs that will stand the open air 

 in the climate of Paris, it is often planted as a screen to objects which it is 

 desired to conceal, and trained and clipped into the form of evergreen walls, 

 called there rideaux de verdure. The low trailing varieties are well adapted 

 for covering rockwork. 



Statistics. In Devonshire, at Endsleigh Cottage, 12 years planted, it is 16 ft. high, diameter of 

 the head 10 ft. In Surrey, at Bagshot Park, 12 years planted, it is 15 £1. high. In Wiltshire, at 

 Wardour Castle, 40 years planted, it is 30 ft. high, the diameter of the trunk 6 in., and of the head 

 12 ft. In Bedfordshire, at Ampthill, 22 years planted, it is 10 ft. high. In Suffolk, at Finborough 

 Hall, 40 years planted, it is 16 ft. high. In Yorkshire, at Hackress, 40 years planted, it is 12 ft. high. 

 In Ireland, in King's County, at Cliarleville Forest, 25 years planted, it is 20 ft. high. In France, in 

 Brittany, at Barres, 50 years old, it is 9 ft. high, and the diameter of the trunk 1 ft. ; at Avranches, 

 in the garden of M. Angot, 29 years planted, it is 24 ft. high. In Germany, in Bavaria, in the 

 Botanic Garden, Munich, 24 years planted, it is 6 ft. high, in Italy, at Monza, 29 years planted, it 

 is 20 ft. high. 



J. c. '2 su^cica. In Hampshire, at Farnham Castle, 50 years planted, it is 40 ft. high, the dia- 

 meter of the trunk 2 ft., and that of the space covered by the branches 20 ft. In Surrey, at Bagshot 

 Park, 12 years planted, it is 2u ft. high. In Sussex, at Wesldean, 14 years planted, it is 17 ft high. 

 In B.-'rkshire, at White Knights, 21 years planted, it is 32 ft. high. In Ireland, in Louth, at Oriel 

 Temple, 18 years planted, it is 12 ft. high. 



Commercial Statistics. Plants, in the London nurseries, are 9d. each, and of 



