OBSERVATIONS ON VEGETABLES. 429 



CHESTNUT TIMBER. 



John Carpenter brings home some old chestnut trees which are 

 very long ; in several places the wood-peckers had begun to bore 

 them. The timber and bark of these trees are so very like oak, 

 as might easily deceive an indifferent observer, but the wood is 

 very shakey, and towards the heart cup-shakey (that is to say, apt 

 to separate in round pieces like cups), so that the inward parts are 

 of no use. They are bought for the purpose of cooperage, but 

 must make but ordinary barrels, buckets, etc. Chestnut sells for 

 half the price of oak ; but has sometimes been sent into the king's 

 docks, and passed off instead of oak. WHITE. 



LIME BLOSSOMS. 



Dr. Chandler tells that in the south of France, an infusion of 

 the blossoms of the lime tree, TJ/ia, is in much esteem as a remedy 

 for coughs, hoarsenesses, fevers, etc., and that at Nismes, he saw 

 an avenue of limes that was quite ravaged and torn to pieces by 

 people greedily gathering the bloom, which they dried and kept 

 for these purposes. 



Upon the strength of this information we made some tea of 

 lime blossoms, and found it a very soft, well-flavoured, pleasant, 

 saccharine julep, in taste much resembling the juice of liquorice. 

 WHITE. 



BLACKTHORN. 



This tree usually blossoms while cold north-east winds blow ; so 

 that the harsh rugged weather obtaining at this season, is called 

 by the country people, blackthorn winter. WHITE. 



IVY BERRIES. 



Ivy berries form a noble and providential supply for birds in 

 winter and spring ; for the first severe frost freezes and spoils all 

 the haws, sometimes by the middle of November ; ivy berries do 

 not seem to freeze. WHITE. 



