MAY. 175 



except for its fruit, which is by no means equal to an 

 English walnut. 



C. I notice the leaves of a shrub which grows abun- 

 dantly in the upland woods ; the common people call it 

 moosewood. The leaves are large and heart-shaped, and 

 much wrinkled. 



F. I know the bush well ; it is a species of Guelder- 

 rose (Viburnum Lantanoides) : the moosewood of botanists 

 is a species of maple (Acer Striatum). This plant bears in 

 autumn clusters of round berries, which are at first green, 

 then bright red, and when ripe shining black. They are 

 hard at first and astringent, but become farinaceous ; they 

 are not very pleasant, though some persons eat them. Its 

 leaves expand very rapidly. The Bass wood, or Lime (Tilia 

 Glabra) is at length bursting its glutinous leaf-buds. This 

 tree frequently attains a great height, but though its trunk is 

 usually remarkably straight, round, and pillar-like, and its 

 outline good, the foliage is never beautiful. The leaves are 

 always corroded or distorted in some way, so that among 

 many trees I have often vainly searched to find a perfect leaf, 

 except such as were just unfolded. The cause of this I do 

 not know, unless it be produced by minute insects: few 

 caterpillars feed on the basswood, and as the tree is so com- 

 mon, their ravages could be easily discovered j whatever the 

 cause, the effect is greatly detrimental to the beauty of the 

 tree. The outer bark of this species is rough and stringy, 

 the inner bark is viscid and sweet, the twigs and buds are 

 likewise very glutinous when chewed ; cattle are fond of 

 them, and in severe winters, when fodder is scarce, it is 

 common for a farmer to drive his stock into the woods of a 

 morning, and cut down a basswood or a maple, on which 

 they eagerly browse, and which proves nutritive. 



C. Is the wood of this tree of any service ? 



.F. It is extremely soft and white when green ; -when 



