340 OUR WOODLAND TREES. 
beautifying the skin by decoctions, and for pro- 
moting the growth of the hair; the flowers— 
infused—as a remedy for colds and fever. Gum, 
oil, sugar, and tannin are also extracted from the 
flowers of the Lime ; and tea and sweet liquor, one 
resembling chocolate, can also be made and manu- 
factured from them, whilst the bees obtain from 
the same source the materials for their finest 
honey. From the inner bark is obtained the 
material known as bast, used for mats and for 
tying plants in gardening; whilst in olden times 
Lime bark was used as writing material. Lime 
timber, from its disinclination to warp, is used for 
the sounding boards of musical instruments; 
whilst for many articles of furniture its lightness 
and delicate colour render it especially suitable. 
To the wood engraver, too, it is valuable, 
furnishing him with a material which, delicate to 
the touch of his graving tools, permits of the most 
beautiful and faithful delineation. 
Opinions differ as to the indigenousness of the 
Lime, though the weight of belief is in favour of 
its being a native of Britain. In walk, avenue, 
square, and park it is most sweetly familiar to 
