MONOECIA TETRANDPJA. 

 excellent fcv^d, and makes the belt of charcoal^ 

 and the foot is a good lamp-black for making 

 printer's ink. 

 The celebrated Moxa, or touchwood, of the Lap- 

 landers, iifed by them as a cautery in mod 

 acute diforders, is made of the yellow fungous 

 cxcrefcencies of the woody part of this tree, 

 which fometimes fvvell out between the fifTures and 

 crevifes of it, and rcfcmble in fubftance the 

 agaric. 

 The leaves are a fodder for fneep and goats, and 



yield a yellow dye. 

 The catkins are the favorite food of the bird called 



a S(/I^in or yiberdevine. 

 The fmall branches ferve the highlanders for hur- 

 dles, and fide- fences to their houfes. 

 And the pliant twigs are well known to anfvv^er the 



purpcfes of cleaniinefs and correction. 

 There is yet another ufe to v^hlch this tree is appli- 

 cable, and which I will beg leave ftrongly to re- 

 commend to my Highland friends : The vernal 

 fap is well knov/n to have a faccharine quality^ 

 capable of making fugar, and an wholefomc 

 diuretic vvine. This tree is always at hand, and 

 the method of making the wine is fimple and 

 eafy. 1 fliall fubjoin a receipt : 



'* In the beginning of March, while the fap is 

 " riling, and before the leaves fhoot out, bore 

 " holes in the bodies of the larger trees, and put 

 " foiTets therein, made of elder flicks, with 



the ' 



