OBSERVATIONS ON VEGETABLES. 355 



observer, but the wood is very shaky, and towards the 

 heart cup-shaky (that is to say, apt to separate in round 

 pieces like cups), so that the inward parts are of no use. 

 They are bought for the purpose of cooperage, but must 

 make but ordinary barrels, buckets, etc. Chestnut sells for 

 half the price of oak ; but has sometimes been sent to the 

 king's docks, and passed off instead of oak. WHITE. 



LIME BLOSSOMS. 



Dr. Chandler tells that in the south of France an infu- 

 sion of the blossoms of the lime tree, Tilia, is in much 

 esteem as a remedy for coughs, hoarseness, fevers, etc., and 

 that at Nismes he saw an avenue of limes that was quite 

 ravaged and torn to 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 taste much resembling the 

 juice of liquorice. WHITE. 



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. 

 WHITE. 



IVY BERRIES. 



Ivy berries form 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. WHITE. 



