BUFFALO. 



the wood and bark, to the bottom of the slit (J). 

 The next operation is to cut off the top part of 

 the shield (6) even with the horizontal first- 

 made cut, in order to let it completely into its 

 place, and to join exactly the upper edge of the 

 shield with the transverse cut, that the de- 

 scending sap may immediately enter the back 

 of the shield, and protrude granulated matter 

 between it and the wood, so as to effect a 

 living union. The parts are now to be imme- 

 diately bound round with a ligament of fresh 

 bass(e), or other suitable substance, previ- 

 ously soaked in water to render it pliable and 



Fig. \. 



tough, beginning a little below the bottom of 

 the perpendicular slit, proceeding upward 

 closely round every part, except just round the 

 eye of the bud, and continue it a little above the 

 horizontal cut, not too tight, but just sufficient 

 to keep the whole close, and exclude the air, 

 sun, and wet. 



Future Treatment. In a fortnight, at far- 

 thest, after budding, such as have adhered 

 may be known by their fresh appearance 

 at the eye ; and in three weeks all those 

 which have succeeded well will be firmly 

 united with the stocks, and the parts being 

 somewhat swelled in some species, the band- 

 age must be loosened, and a week or two 

 afterward finally removed. The shield and 

 bud now swell in common with the other parts 

 or the stock, and nothing more requires to be 

 done till spring, when, just before the rising 

 of the sap, they are to be headed down close 

 to the bud, by an oblique cut, terminating 

 about an eighth or quarter of an inch above 

 the shield. In some cases, however, as in 

 grafting, a few inches of the stalk is left for 

 the first season, and the young shoot tied to it 

 for protection from the winds." 



BUFFALO (from the Italian ; Lat. bubalis). 

 A term originally applied to a species of ante- 

 lope ; but afterwards transferred, in the age of 

 Martial, to different species of the ox. In mo- 

 dern zoology, the buffaloes, or the "bubaline 

 group" of the genus Bos, include those species 

 which have the bony core of the horn exca- 

 vated with large cells or sinuses, communicat- 

 ing with the cavity of the nose; the horns are 

 flattened, and bend laterally with a backward 

 direction, and are consequently less applicable 

 for goring than in the bisons or taurine group 

 of oxen. The buffaloes are of large size, but 

 low in proportion to their bulk; they have no 

 hunch on the back, and only a small dewlap 

 on the breast; the hide is generally black, the 

 tail long and slender. The buffaloes occupy 

 the warm and tropical regions of the earth ; 

 they avoid hills, and prefer the coarse vegeta- 

 tion of the forest and swampy regions to those 

 of open plains ; they love to wallow and lie for 

 hours sunk deep in water; they swim well, 



BUGLE, COMMON. 



and cross the broadest rivers without hesita- 

 tion. Their gait is heavy, and they run almost 

 always with the nose horizontal, being princi- 

 pally guided by the sense of smelling. They 

 herd together in small flocks, or live in pairs, 

 but are never strictly gregarious in a wild 

 state. The females bear calves two years fol- 

 lowing, but remain sterile the third ; they pro- 

 pagate at four and a half years old, and 

 discontinue after twelve. "The common buf- 

 falo (says Professor Low) has come to us, be- 

 yond a question, from Eastern Asia. He seems 

 to have been introduced into Italy about the 

 sixth century, and is now an important animal 

 in the rural economy of that country. He is 

 used by the Italians as food and as the beast 

 of labour, and may be said to form the riches 

 of the inhabitants in many parts of the country. 

 He is cultivated, too, in Greece and Hungary. 

 The milk of the female is good, but the flesh is 

 held in less esteem than that of the common 

 ox. The pace of the animal is sluggish ; but 

 from the low manner in which he carries his 

 head, throwing the weight of his great body for- 

 ward when pulling, he is well suited for heavy 

 draught But this is not a property sufficiently 

 important to cause the introduction of the buf- 

 falo into the agriculture of northern Europe, 

 and he is not likely, therefore, to be carried 

 beyond the countries where he is now reared." 

 Buffalo hunting on elephants is one of the field 

 sports of the East; and this animal is also 

 hunted on foot with avidity by the Caffres at 

 the Cape of Good Hope, as well to get rid of a 

 dangerous foe as to furnish themselves with 

 food from his flesh and leather from his hide. 

 (Brandt's Diet, of Science; Elaine's Encyc. of Rur 

 ral Sports ; Elements of Practical Agriculture.) 

 For American Buffalo, see BISON. 



BUFFALO BERRY TREE (Shepardia mag- 

 noides). Silver-leaved Sheperdia. A very 

 beautiful tree, discovered by Mr. Nuttall in 

 Missouri. The tree is of upright growth and 

 thorny, the leaves small and of a delicate and 

 silvery appearance. The fertile and barren 

 flowers are produced on different trees. The 

 fruit consists of berries about the size and ap- 

 pearance 6f large currants, of a fine scarlet 

 colour, and very beautiful, enveloping the 

 branches in profuse clusters. It has a rich 

 taste, and is considered valuable for making 

 into tarts and preserves. 



BUGLE, COMMON (Jljuga reptans). This 

 very pretty wild plant grows in woods, copses, 

 moist pastures, and shady places, flowering in 

 April, May, and June. It is a perennial ; has 

 blue flowers, upright leafy stalks, and glossy 

 leaves, of a deep purplish-green colour, oblong, 

 broad, blunt at the point, and slightly indented 

 round the edges, some growing immediately 

 from the root. The flower-stalks rise eight or 

 ten inches high, of a pale green often pur- 

 plish and have two leaves at each joint, 

 which joints are far apart from each other. 

 The joint leaves are as large as those growing 

 from the root. The scentless flowers are blue 

 and white, sometimes entirely white, growing 

 round the upper part of its stalk, forming a 

 kind of loose spike. The cups remain, when 

 the flower has fallen off, to hold its seeds 

 This plant is often denominated sicklewort, aart 



235 



