ROSACEA. 230 



ymitij; thorns for hedges, and he employed himself the while in preparing the ground 

 to receive them. 



In England thorn hedges seem to have been in use since the time of the Romans. 

 In all old works on husbandry, directions are given for forming " quickset hedges," 

 and in 1611 an old author gives very particular instructions as to enclosing young 

 plantations with a " good ditch and quickset of white thorne." The wood of the 

 Hawthorn is very hard, and difficult to work ; its colour is white with a yellow tinge, 

 and it takes a beautiful polish. The branches are useful for many purposes ; they are 

 good for fires, as they burn readily ; they are also used for forming dead hedges, and the 

 strong knotted branches make good and firm walking-sticks. The fruit of the Hawthorn 

 is seldom eaten in England, excepting by children, though it is said to be nutritious. 

 In Katntchatka it is much liked, and a sort of wine is made from it by fermentation 

 with water. The bark contains tannin, and was used in former days in the Highlands 

 with sulphate of iron to form a black dye for wool. The Hawthorn attains a great age 

 when not cut or otherwise injured ; and we quite agree with its warmest admii'ers in 

 thinking that in a picturesque point of view the Hawthorn gives place to no other tree. 

 AViiether we see it in the s])ring time, covered with its snowy blossoms, or in the autumn 

 with its glowing berrie.s, we must regard it not only as an interesting object in itself, 

 but as contrasting and grouping with other trees in a remarkably beautiful manner. 

 Phillips remarks that the garland of Flora does not possess a more charming blossom 

 than this British hedge beauty, nor do the most luxuriant species of Asia yield a more 

 grateful perfume than this flowering shrub. Hawthorn blossoms have been associated 

 with the floral games of May from time immemorial. They were regarded as the 

 emblems of Hope, and were carried by girls in wedding processions of the ancient 

 Greeks, and laid on the altar of Hymen, which was lighted with torches made of this 

 wood. The Troglodytes tied branches of Hawthorn to their dead when they were 

 buried. In some parts of France the Hawthorn is called repine noble, because it is 

 supposed to have been the thorn used for crowning the Saviour, and the country people 

 believe it always utters groans and sighs on a Good Friday. Others put a bunch of 

 Hawthorn in their hats to preserve them against lightning in a thunder-storm. The 

 most remarkable legend connected with the Hawthorn is that of the Glastonbury thorn. 

 It is said to have sprung from the stafl" of Joseph of Arimathea, who, it is believed, 

 founded the first Christian church in these islands, and that this miracle was wrought 

 in order to convince the natives of his divine mission. The legend adds that it was on 

 Christmas-day that this vegetation of the staff" occurred, and that the thorn still 

 continues to blossom annually on the same day. The French have a legend that or 

 the day after the massaci'e of St. Bartholomew, on August 25th, an old thorn in the 

 churchyard of St. Innocent, in Paris, came into blossom a second time. 



The poets who have sung the praises of the Hawthorn are almost as numerous as 

 those who have written of the rose. 



Chaucer, in his "Court of Love," makes all liis court go forth on May -day to gather 

 in the flowers, and — 



" Marke the faire blooming of the Hawthorne-tree, 

 Who finely cloathed in a robe of white, 

 Fills fuU the wanton eye with May's delight." 



And we read in Shakespeare's " Henry the Sixth :" — 



" Gives not the Hawthorn-bush a sweeter shade 

 To shepherds looking on their silly sheep, 



