THE MISTLETOE. 159 



until the young berries of the following season are beginning 

 to develope themselves, which does not take place until 

 about midsummer, some eight or ten weeks, that is, after 

 they are set : then the unfertilized germ falls off, and the 

 future berry begins to swell. In this way both ripe berries 

 and flowers, or even the succeeding crop of berries, though 

 as yet you may not distinguish them from the abortions, 

 are co-existent on the same plant. The mistletoe is a 

 free flowerer, and readily sets its fruit : indeed, so far as 

 my experience goes, it has never failed to produce an 

 abundant crop of berries. 



As to the manner of propagation, it is no doubt carried 

 about by birds in those localities where it grows freely in 

 a natural state. The berries are said to be a favourite 

 food of thrushes, blackbirds, &c., but I have only known 

 them to be taken once, and that was in a very severe 

 winter, when other berries had become scarce. On that 

 occasion the thrushes in a very few days, not more than 

 two or three, I think, had completely stripped off every 

 berry. In other winters they have not so much as looked 

 at them. This, however, may probably be owing to the 

 mistletoe not growing naturally in North Staffordshire, and 

 the birds have consequently not acquired a taste for its 

 berries. The generally accepted theory is, that the berries 

 having passed through the intestines of the birds uninjured, 

 and being stimulated to germination in their passage, are 

 ejected, and in some cases happen to fall upon branches 

 of trees suited for their growth ; and as from the berries 

 bird-lime can be made, this theory has given rise to the 

 doggrel rhyme 



"The thrush, when he pollutes the bough, 

 Sows for himself the seeds of woe." 



