104 THE HEATH. 



those of winter and early spring, when most trees 

 are bare, and the wind finds an easy passage 

 through the naked boughs. The few trees that 

 retain their leaves during this period, such as the 

 box, yew, laurel, laurestinus, &c., (most of which, 

 by the by, are foreigners,) seldom attain a height 

 which renders them liable to be uprooted by the 

 wind, and their stout leathery leaves are well able 

 to withstand every wind that may blow.* If the 

 substance of their leaves resembled that of the 

 elm or oak-leaves, they would soon be torn to 

 pieces or scattered. Another season when we 

 frequently experience stormy weather, is late in 

 autumn; but the leaves have then fulfilled their 

 office, and are so loosely attached to the tree, that 

 they do not at all endanger its safety, but part 

 from their support immediately on being assailed. 

 You will not find many showy flowers here, 

 though Heath and Furze, when in perfection, 

 well merit that title. Of the former plant, there 

 are three very common species, two more grow in 

 Cornwall, and three others in Ireland. The most 

 common in England is the "purple" or "fine-leaved 

 Heath," which may be distinguished by its nume- 

 rous drooping flowers, covering a considerable 

 portion of the stem, and, like the leaves, of a 

 sufficiently strong texture to withstand the force 

 of the most boisterous wind. The flowers will 

 rustle when a bunch is gathered, as if they were 

 perfectly dry. A beautiful species, which prefers 

 a boggy soil, is the cross-leaved heath, well marked 

 by its delicate pink and rather large flowers col- 

 lected into a head at the summit of the stem. 



* The Fir-tree must, of course, be excepted, but upon its 

 wiry leaves the wind, I have said, has no effect. 



