LAUREL HAWTHORN. V 



and are less oblong. These are usually about the size and 

 color of wintergreen berries (Gaultheria procumbcns); in the 

 recent state these beautiful berries have but little odor, but 

 when dry the piquant spicy odor is exceedingly refreshing, 

 and nothing is more lasting, abiding still fragrant, we know 

 not how many years, but apparently increasing with age. 

 The berries eaten from the tree have a pleasant, thorn- 

 apple (Grategus) flavor. They are parched by the Indians 

 and eaten so, or ground and used as a kind of coffee, or thick- 

 ened into mush, or made into bread, cake, or the like, when 

 it has a peculiar nutty flavor. It blooms chiefly from June 

 to August; yet here and there fine clusters of flowers may 

 be found at any season of the year; the thickly-set laurel- 

 like leaves extend close up to, and lesser ones in among 

 the flowers; it fully ripens its great masses of bright red 

 berries about merry Christmas, hence it is, often called 

 " Christmas T#ee," and the fruit "Christmas Berries," in pfwt 

 from this coincidence; but mainly because of its universal 

 devotion to those religious and rural adornments that will 

 ever associate the concomitant Toyon Tree with all the inno- 

 cent social festivities of that season, and of the " Happy New 

 Year." Yet, withal, to the unbiased eye of art, and to the 

 appreciative landscape gardener, the brilliant contrast, sooth- 

 ing warmth, and harmony of bright red on a background of 

 green — ruby in emerald, and at such a season of the year, 

 too — will always commend this Laurel Hawthorn as one of 

 the chief ornamental charms of the coast. Even the faults 

 of the formal and rigid become merits when they contribute 

 to the Winter scene an air of calm, serious stillness, in peace- 

 ful keeping with the general hush of the Great Mother, 

 while her large family is sleeping! Nor is this equanimity 

 ever disturbed at seasons claiming less attention — the con- 

 stant gales that deform the sturdiest oaks and other hardy 

 trees and shrubs, pass harmlessly by the Laurel Hawthorn 

 and the Satin-tassel trees, and but few besides, little, if at 

 all, the worse for the fierce war waged on them during our 

 wintry Summer winds. 



The bark has a cherry or pleasant bitter almond flavor, 

 and possesses similar medicinal virtues, which, indeed, 

 would well nigh fill a volume to delineate in detail. The 

 wood, especially the root, is highly ornamental, but has hith- 

 erto attracted little notice. 



