118 Barberry and the Black Bust of Wheat. [May,. 



roads it was possible, after a little experience, by glancing round 

 the hedgerows to " spot " bushes growing in the vicinity. This 

 method also yielded good results. 



The survey extended over a period of three and a half months 

 (May-August, 1920), but, when the hilly nature of the country 

 and the difficulty of travel are considered, it will be readily under- 

 stood that in this short period it was not possible to investigate 

 more than one-third of the entire area. 



Description of the Bush. — The common barberry (Berberis 

 vulgaris), known in Welsh as pren melyn, or pren clefyd melyn, 

 is said to be a native of Asia. It was introduced into Europe 

 during the fifteenth century and cultivated as a " fruit " bush 

 for several hundred years, until it was found to spread the rust 

 " seeds." The berries were used in the preparation of preserves 

 and jellies, and their juice for making wine and vinegar. When 

 allowed to grow wild it is a tall erect shrub, often as many as 

 10 or 12 ft. high, and it is a persistent grower. The 

 branches " are arched and hanging at the ends." The bark is 

 greyish in colour and the wood is yellow. The branches bear 

 three-parted spines at the base of the tufts of leaves (Fig. A). 

 The leaves on the young shoots are alternate and green or purple 

 in colour, but on the old shoots they occur in clusters. They are 

 egg-shaped, rather stiff, and have saw-tooth edges (Fig. 0). The 

 berries are small, red, oval, and contain one or two seeds (Fig. B). 

 The bark has been largely used for making a concoction which, the 

 old people say, is an infallible cure for yellow jaundice (clefyd 

 melyn) and for various diseases of cattle. It is not now, however, 

 included in the British Pharmacopoeia and is not used by dis- 

 pensing chemists as it is not proved of value in these diseases, 

 and its place as a bitter tonic has been taken by a number of 

 drugs, such as gentian, quassia, dandelion or quinine. 



Occurrence of Barberry. — Although the survey is incomplete, 

 enough has been done to show that the bush is widely distributed 

 in the three counties. In Carmarthenshire, 100 farms were 

 visited and barberry was found to exist on 60 of them. It 

 occurred chiefly round the homesteads and in the hedges about 

 the farms. In all there were discovered 55 single bushes and 

 144 yd. of barberry hedge, the latter occurring in strips from 

 6 to 40 yd. in length. Each strip of barberry hedge, or even 

 a single bush, may be the centre of a local outbreak of the disease, 

 and 64 of these possible centres extending over 24 parishes, 

 were located in this county. In South Cardiganshire, 40 farms 

 were visited and barberry was seen on 30 of them. In all there 



