Holly, Yew and Box 



root and bark are said to be deobstruent, ex- 

 pectorant and diuretic, agreeably to which Haller 

 recommends the juice of the leaves in jaundice. 

 The berries are purgative and emetic, six or 

 eight being sufficient, it is said, to produce the 

 latter effect." The same work goes on to say, 

 "it has been stated recently by M. J. Pierre, 

 that the young stems are gathered in Morbihan 

 by the peasants, and made use of as a cattle food 

 from the end of November to April with great 

 success. The stems are dried, and having been 

 bruised are given as food to cows three times a 

 day. They are found to be very wholesome and 

 very productive of good milk, and the butter 

 made from it is excellent." 



The timber, which sometimes grows to a con- 

 siderable size, is beautifully white, and very tough 

 and hard. It is used to some extent for turning, 

 in the manufacture of mathematical instruments, 

 and by cabinet-makers for inlaying purposes. 

 Formerly it was sought after for making pulley- 

 blocks for ships, and is sometimes still used for 

 that purpose. In building construction the wood 

 was formerly used for beams of houses in posi- 

 tions where they would enter chimneys, as the 

 wood does not catch fire easily. In the early 

 part of the last century the knots and burrs, 

 which are sometimes found on the trunk, were 

 used for the making of snuff boxes. Young, 

 straight, quickly grown shoots are used to some 



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