BARBERRY. 55 



taste, which creates appetite. A conserve is made from 

 this fruit that is refreshing, and strengthens the stomach, 

 and is good against diarrhoeas and dysenteries. The 

 juice, or decoction, abates the inflammation of the fauces 

 and tonsils, and heals scorbutic gums. Brooke?. 



This fruit gives an agreeable acid to soup, and the 

 young leaves may also be used for the same purpose. 

 According to Prosper Alpinus, the Egyptians employ a 

 diluted juice of the berries in ardent and pestilential 

 fevers. Their manner is to macerate them in about twelve 

 times their quantity of water, afterwards to let them stand 

 for about twenty-four hours, and then to add a little fennel 

 seed. 



Pickled barberries make a handsome garnish for all 

 white dishes, where acids can be introduced : this fruit is 

 also used for making syrup, lozenges, &c. 



The bark of the tree is a good medicine against the 

 jaundice, and all obstructions and foulness of the viscera. 

 The inner bark of this tree, with the assistance of alum, 

 dyes a bright yellow : in Poland it is used for colouring 

 leather. 



The French use it for dyeing both silk and cotton, and 

 also for staining wood for cabinet and other purposes. 



Valmont Beomare says, that the scratches of these 

 thorns are difficult to cure ; therefore hedges made of 

 these bushes are to be avoided. Cows, sheep, and goats 

 are said to feed on the barberry ; but horses and swine 

 refuse it. 



We have now several varieties of the barberry-shrub 

 cultivated in England, one of which was brought from 

 Candia in 1759, and another from Siberia in 1790; but 

 they possess no advantage over our native kind of this 

 fruit. The variety with a white berry seldom produces 

 much fruit, but they are considerably larger, and of a 

 more agreeable acid. 



