AUTUMN BERRIES. 197 



of the deep purplish-red fruit. " Conserve of 

 hips " will be known to all as the prepared pulp 

 of the wild rose. The Sloe, or Blackthorn, also 

 belongs to the family Kosaceae, and is just now 

 hanging out its sprays of globular black fruit 

 covered with delicate bloom. Before this is 

 sullied it is of the most inviting appearance, but 

 its good looks are sadly belied to the taste before 

 the mellowing influence of the first frosts. The 

 Sloe tree connives at adulteration, for not only 

 does its " wine " impart a deeper crimson to our 

 cheaper " ports," but its dried leaves are used 

 in compounding tea; and hence it has been 

 said that "the simple sloe of our hedges is 

 verily a plant of wonderful endowments, since 

 Chinese Bohea and the wines of Portugal are 

 equally procurable from its beneficent branches." 

 The Wild Service-tree is beautifully flowered, 

 beautifully fruited, and the clusters of white 

 May blossoms are replaced in autumn by pro- 

 fuse bunches of brown berries, which, if acid 

 at first, lose their rough flavour by frost. Then 

 there is the Whitebeam of the limestone escarp- 

 ments, with its sharp contrasts of white and 

 scarlet, which hangs out such a feast for the 

 birds. It is said that the Hedgehog is extremely 



