51 

 BARBERRY. BERBERIS; 



OR, THE PIPPER1DGE-BUSH. 



A genus of the Hexandria Monogynia class. 



THE Greeks called this bush ouaxav0a, from the 

 sharpened points of its thorns ; which name was adopted 

 in Latin ; but the barberry is distinguished as Oxyacantlia 

 Galeni, there being some difference between Dioscorides 

 and Galen concerning this plant : the latter is the name 

 still used in the shops. Berberis is an Arabic name, used 

 by Averroes and the officinal writers; and from which 

 the English name is derived. 



The common barberry-bush is a native of this coun- 

 try ; and notwithstanding the high state of cultivation 

 this kingdom is now arrived at, it is still to be found 

 growing wild in many parts of the northern counties. 

 Gerard says, in his time (1597) most of the hedges near 

 Colnbrook were nothing else but barberry-bushes. 



It is now very properly introduced into our gardens and 

 shrubberies, being both ornamental and useful; but it 

 should not be planted near the house or principal walks, 

 on account of its offensive smell when in blossom. The 

 flowers are small, but beautiful ; and on their first appear- 

 ance have a perfume similar to that of the cowslip, which 

 changes to a putrid and most disagreeable scent, particu- 

 larly towards the evening and at the decay of the flowers. 

 The author had a barberry-tree in his garden near twenty 

 feet in height, the branches of which extended over a 

 circumference of sixty feet. When covered with blossom 



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