74 THE BOX. 



' ' Fresh sprigs of green box-wood, not six months before, 

 Filled the funeral basin at Timothy's door. " 



In the north of Devon newly-made graves may frequently 

 be seen decked with sprigs of Box and other village ever- 

 greens : and it takes its place among Holly and Laurel as 

 an ornament of our churches generally, at Christmas. 



By the ancients Box- wood was highly valued as a 

 material for musical instruments, Buxus, 1 the name by 

 which it was known, often standing for a "flute ;" and in 

 our own country it is said by Evelyn to have been " of spe- 

 cial use for the turner, engraver, mathematical instrument- 

 maker, comb and pipe maker, who give great prices for 

 it by weight, as well as measure ; and by the seasoning, 

 and divers manners of cutting, vigorous insolations, poli- 

 ture and grinding the roots of this tree (as of even our 

 common and neglected Thorn), do furnish the inlayer and 

 cabinet-maker with pieces rarely undulated, and full of 

 variety. Also of Box are made wheels or shivers (as our 

 ship-carpenters call them), and pins for blocks and pulleys ; 

 pegs for musical instruments : nut-crackers, weavers' shut- 

 tles, hollar-sticks, bump-sticks, and dressers for the shoe- 

 maker, rulers, rolling-pins, pestles, mall-balls, beetles, 

 tops, chess-men, screws, bobbins for bone-lace, spoons, nay 

 the stoutest axle-trees." 



" The Box-wood used by the cabinet-makers and turners 

 in France is chiefly that of the root. The town of St. 

 Claude, near which is one of the largest natural Box- woods 

 in Europe, is almost entirely inhabited by turners, who 

 make snuff-boxes, rosary beads, forks, spoons, buttons, and 

 numerous other articles. The wood of some roots is more 

 beautifully marked, or veined, than that of others, and the 

 articles manufactured vary in price accordingly. The wood 

 of the trunk is rarely found of sufficient size for blocks in 

 France ; and when it is, it is so dear, that the entire trunk 

 of a tree is seldom sold at once, but a few feet are disposed 



1 Bnxus was also used to signify "a comb" and "a boy : s top," 

 which were usually made of the same material. 



