MEZEREON. 79 



White, in Selborne-hanger, in the same 

 county ; by Mr. Woodward, at Laxfield in Suf- 

 folk ; and it has also been seen in the beech 

 woods of Buckinghamshire. But these late dis- 

 coveries by no means prove it a native of the 

 soil, as it is well known how anxiously the 

 thrush and blackbird hunt the garden for the 

 berries of this shrub, the seeds of which are 

 thus conveyed into the copse or wood ; where 

 when one plant has sprung up, others would 

 soon succeed, as we have always observed 

 numerous young plants springing up beneath 

 this shrub in the plantation. 



We now reckon eleven different species of 

 the daphne, one of which daphne laureola, 

 spurge laurel, is a native of our woods, and 

 although a plant whose flowers make but little 

 show, its fine evergreen leaves recommend it 

 to the planter, and more particularly as it 

 thrives under the shade of trees or taller 

 shrubs, where but few other plants will 

 exist. 



There is a variety of the mezereon with 

 white blossoms, and yellow berries, and 

 another with variegated leaves. They are all 

 raised by seed, sown as soon as ripe in Au- 

 gust. The bed or border should be exposed 

 to an eastern aspect ; and the plant thrives 

 best in a light sandy earth that is dry, for in 



