168 
blossoms, which open in May, are inconspicuous; but the fruit when ripe 
in October has all the appearance of a flower of brilliant hues. The 
fruit, indeed, from its colour and shape, is the most distinctive as well as 
most beautiful feature of the tree. Each berry is four-lobed and of a 
lively rose-pink. When quite ripe the lobes open, disclosing four large 
seeds covered with a deep orange-coloured membrane, the seeds and the 
husk then presenting a curious but eo contrast. The wood of 
the spindle tree is exceedingly tough ; and t usks and stems of the 
berries partake of the same character, so that tone after the leaves have 
fallen these remain to enliven the wintry landseape. Birds will not 
touch them, and with human beings they act as a strong emetic and 
purgative. 
The wood is so compact and tough that it is hard to break and almost 
impossible to splinter. In the days of domestic industries, when every 
spindles ; hence de commonest name—a name by which it is known in 
Germany and Italy. It was also used for making the pointed ends 
of ox-goads ; miadi is derived another name of gatter tree, or prickwood. 
Chaucer calls the berries gaitre-berries, and in the Nennes Preestes Tale 
recommends them against agae and thehumours.* In Ireland it is called 
egwood, because shoemakers use it for pegs for shoes. In France it is 
also known by the name of priest's cap, from the resemblance of the berr 
in shape to a biretta. ‘Though goads and spindles are gone out of fashion, 
the wood is still employed in the making of a variety of small wares-- 
such as skewers, toothpicks, and fine pins for cleaning watches; an 
artists are said to prefer the ebareoal prepared from the branches to any 
Edi parti y from its excellent quality and partly because it is easily 
ace 
The spindle sb is easily propagated either from seed or from cuttings, 
It seems to prefer a chalky soil and a mild climate, and consequently 
flourishes best in the southern counties of England. It is said to be rare 
in Wales; in Scotland it is almost unknown. A variety of the common 
spindle tr ee, bearing berries with white instead of pink husks, is 
occasionally found ; but although the contrast between the white husks 
and the orange seeds is curious, the effect is less pleasing than that 
fae by the berries of the commoner sort. 
DLV.—MISCELLANEOUS NOTES, 
Retirement of Sir Robert m G.C.B.— The disappearance from 
ho inte ; 
be passed over without a few words of remembrance. The . Sir 
Robert Meade, after a varied official career became Assistant under 
Secretary to the Colonial Office in 1871 and Under-Secretary of State in 
1892, He retired on Feb em dà 28th of s present year 
The assistance which Kew can afford to the Colonies is — 
difficult to render on ordinati "official ities, Plants ¢ either be 
trensmitted nor treated afterwards by the same mechan ical aire as 
ordinary Government stores. Economic questions cannot always be 
7 diaago s plant is, however, generally supposed to be the Dogwood (Cornus 
a, K.). 
