VEGETABLES. 485 



fevers, &c. and that at Nismes, he saw an avenue of 

 limes that was quite ravaged and torn in pieces by 

 people greedily gathering the bloom, which they dried 

 and kept for these purposes. 



Upon the strength of this information we made some 

 tea of lime blossoms, and found it a very soft, well 

 flavoured, pleasant, saccharine julep, in-jtaste much 

 resembling the juice of liquorice. 



BLACKTHORN. 



THIS tree usually blossoms while cold north-east winds 

 blow; so that the harsh rugged weather obtaining at 

 this season is called by the country people, blackthorn 

 winter. 



IVY BERRIES. 



IVY berries afford a noble and providential supply for 

 birds in winter and spring; for the first severe frost 

 freezes and spoils all the haws, sometimes by the middle 

 of November ; ivy berries do not seem to freeze. 



HOPS. 



THE culture of Virgil's vines corresponded very exactly 

 wi th the modern management of hops. I might instance 

 in the perpetual diggings and hoeings, in the tying to 

 the stakes and poles, in pruning the superfluous shoots, 

 &c.; but lately I have observed a new circumstance, 

 which was, a neighbouring farmer's harrowing between 

 the rows of hops with a small triangular harrow, drawn 

 by one horse, and guided by two handles. This occur- 

 rence brought to my mind the following passage : 



ipsa 



Flectere luctantes inter vineta juvencos." 



GEORGIC. II. 



Hops are dioecious plants ; hence perhaps it might be 

 proper, though not practised, to leave purposely some 



