RHAMNUS. 257 



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in Shakspeare's tragedy of Macbeth. The sailor's wife, on 

 the witch's requesting some chestnuts, hastily answers, " A 

 rowan-tree, witch ! " but all the editions have, " Aroint thee, 

 witch ! " which is nonsense, and evidently a corruption.' 



" As the Rowan-tree grows freely in the most exposed situa- 

 tions, it is often planted as a nurse to young trees of slow 

 growth, exposed to the sea-breeze, and it has the great advan- 

 tage of not growing above a certain height, so that when it has 

 performed its office it does not interfere with the growth of the 

 oaks and other trees for whose benefit they were planted. It 

 flourishes best in a good moist soil, in any easy exposure." 



The trees are easily raised from the seed. If sown in 

 autumn, the young plants will appear in eighteen months. 



RHAMNUS. 



The Buckthorn. 



Rhamnus, from the Celtic ram, signifying branching. A 

 genus of shrubby plants, of no great interest, except for their 

 medicinal qualities, or for the uses of their berries for dyes or 

 paints, or the wood of some species for carving into images. 



R. cathartica, the Common Buckthorn, is a well- 

 known shrub, or small tree, " the fruit of which was formerly 

 employed, in medicine, as a purgative, but it is too violent and 

 drastic to be safely used, and is now chiefly confined to veteri- 

 nary practice, to which it is well adapted. The saflron- 

 colored juice of the unripe berries, called French berries by 

 dyers, is used as paint and a dye. Sap-green is made of the 

 inspissated juice of the ripe berries, with alum and gum 

 Arabic. If gathered very late, they yield a purple, instead of 

 a green, color. The bark furnishes a beautiful yellow dye, or, 

 dried, it colors brown. The wood of the roots is yellowish- 

 brown, with a satin lustre, and very compact, and may be 

 employed by the turner." (Emerson.} 

 22* 



