134 SYLVA BOOK i 



attract the bees, as do also the leaves (especially of 

 the black) more tenacious of the meldews than most 

 forest-trees, the oak excepted. 



Of the aspen, our wood-men make hoops, fire-wood, 

 and coals, G?c. and of the bark of young trees, in 

 some countries, it serves for candle or torch-wood. 



The juice of poplar leaves, dropp'd into the ears, 

 asswages the pain ; and the buds contus'd, and mix'd 

 with honey, is a good collyrium for the eyes ; as the 

 unguent to refrigerate and cause sleep. 



One thing more is not to be pass'd over, of the 

 white-poplar ; that the seeds of misselto being put 

 into holes bored in the bark of this tree, have pro- 

 duced the plant : Experiment sufficient to determine 

 that so long controverted question, concerning sponta- 

 neous and aequivocal generations, vid. D. Rait P. L. 

 Append, p. 1918. 



CHAPTER XV. 

 Of the Quick-Beam. 



i . The quick-beam [ornus, or as the pinax more 

 peculiarly, fraxinus bubula ; others, the wild sorb] or 

 (as some term it) the witchen, is a species of wild- 

 ash. The Berries which it produced in October, 

 may then be sown ; or rather the sets planted : I have 

 store of them in a warm grove of mine, and 'tis of 

 singular beauty : It rises to a reasonable stature, shoots 

 upright, and slender, and consists of a fine smooth 

 bark. It delights to be both in mountains and woods, 

 and to fix it self in good light grounds ; Virgil affirms, 

 'twill unite with the pear. 



