102 MEZEREON. LACE-BARK. 



autumn. The berries are red ; and Linnaeus says 

 they are so poisonous, that six of them will kill a 

 wolf. The Mezereon does not produce its flowers 

 till January or February; but if a bud is dissected 

 in the month of August preceding, the petals, 

 the stamens, and other 'parts of the young fruit, 

 may be distinctly perceived. 



EDWARD. 

 Is Mezereon a shrub or a tree ? 



MOTHER. 



It is only a shrub; as you may perceive from its 

 throwing out branches so near the ground. 



There is another species of Daph'ne, the Laget'to, 

 called the Lace-bark-tree, from the resemblance of 

 its inner bark to net-work or lace. This bark is 

 very beautiful, and consists of several layers, which 

 can easily be pulled out into a fine white silky web, 

 three or four feet wide, like lace or gauze, and 

 which has often been used for ladies' dresses, 

 Swartz, a celebrated botanist, says that it may be 

 washed without injury. King Charles the Second 

 is said to have had a cravat made of this web, 

 presented to him by the governor of Jamaica ; 

 of which island, and of Hispaniola, it is a native. 



The common Maple, A'cer campes'tre, and the 

 Sycamore, or Plane tree, A'cer Pseu'do-plat'anus, 



