WILD FLOWEBS OF WINTEB. 241 



have taken ivy as the emblem of friendship. Some 

 doubts exist as to the injury which ivy does to 

 growing timber. In Shakespeare's time it was 

 looked upon simply as a parasite, and it was asserted 

 that 



"No flower can bear the ivy's shade, 

 No tree support its cold embrace." 



Its tendrils, however, are not rootlets which "suck 

 the verdure" out of the "princely trunks" of the 

 forest trees, and Calder Campbell makes the ivy 

 Bay 



" Oh ! falsely they accuse me 

 Who say I seek to check 

 The growing sapling's flourishing } 



I better love to deck 

 The dead or dying branches 



With all my living leaves. 

 'T is for the old and withered tree 

 The ivy garland weaves." 



By many a road-side, 



" Fringing the fence on sandy wold 

 With blaze of vegetable gold, 

 The furze but, ah ! beware the thorn 

 Too oft 'mid brightest blossoms born ! " 

 The furze still yields its fragrant bloom." 



The "Winter Furze or Gorse (Ulex tianus), studs the 

 heathland through the winter, and brightens up the 



16 



