574 MCNOECIA TETRANDRIA. 



excellent fewel, and makes the bell of charcoaLj 

 and the foot is a good lamp-black for making 

 printer's ink. 



The celebrated Moxa, or touchwood, of the Lap- 



' landers, ufed by them as a cautery in moft 



acute diforders, is made of the yellow fungous 



excrefcencies of the woody part of this tree, 



> , ^ wliich fometimes fwcll out between the fiffures and 



crevifes of it, and refemblc in fubllance the 



agaric. • . - , 



The leaves are a fodder for fheep and goats, and 



yield a yellow dye. 

 The catkins are the favorite food of the bird called 



a Sf/l'in or Aberdevine. 

 Thefmall branches ferve the highlanders for hur- 

 ;. dies, and fide-fcnces to theii- houfes. 



And the pliant twigs are well known to anfwer the 



purpofes of cleanlinefs and correftion. 

 There is yet another ufe to which this tree is appli- 

 cable, and which I will beg leave ftrongly to re- 

 commend to my Highland friends : The vernal 

 fap is well knovv'n to have a faccharine quality, 

 capable of making fugar, and an wholefome 

 diuretic wine. This tree is always at hand, and 

 the method of making the wine is fimple and 

 eafy. I iliall fubjoin a receipt : 



" In the beginning of March, while the fap is 



" rifing, and before the leaves llioot out, bore 



" holes in the bodies of the larger trees, and put 



. " folTets therein, made of elder ilicks, with 



the 



