88 A DISCOURSE 



BOOK II. mends the coal for the goldsmiths' work; and the poet celebrates it for 

 country work : 



Arbuteae crates, et mystica vannus lacchi. PEorg. i. 



Arbutean harrows, and the mystic van. 



often as severe during the continuance of the medicine as when it was not used. The trials 

 of the Uva Ursi, made in this country, have by no means answered expectation. 



Arbutus is of the class and order Decandria Moyiogyiiia,. 



The common Strawberry-tree is well known, being at present in most of the English 

 gardens, and one of their greatest ornaments in the months of October and November, 

 that being the season when the trees are in flower, and the fruit of the former year is ripe, 

 for the fruit is a whole year in growing to perfection ; so that the fruit which is produced 

 from the flowers of one year, does not ripen till the blossoms of the succeeding year are 

 fully blown. When there is plenty of fruit and flowers upon the trees, they make a fine 

 appeai'ance, at a season when most other trees are past their beauty ; 



— ■ poraoque on^rata rubenti 



Arbutus. oviB, 



Those trees which have large oval fVuit make the greatest figure, their flowers being 

 larger and oblong. The sort with double flowers is a curiosity ; but as the flowers have 

 only two orders of leaves, they make no great appearance; nor do the trees produce fruit 

 in any plenty, therefore the other is preferable. The sort with red flowers makes a pretty 

 variety, when intermixed with the other ; for the outsides of them are of a fine red colour 

 at their first appearance, and afterwards they change to purple before they fall off. The 

 fruit of this is the same with the common sort. All these varieties are preserved by 

 inarching or grafting them upon the common Arbutus ; for the seeds of either do not pro- 

 duce the same kind ; though from the seeds of the oval fruit, there are generally many 

 more of the same produced, than from the seeds of the common sort, 



The best method to propagate the Arbutus is by seeds ; therefore when the fruit 

 is perfectly ripe, it should be gathered and mixed, with dry sand, to preserve it till the 

 time for sowing : the surest method of raising the plants, is to sow the seeds in pots, 

 which should be plunged into an old bed of tanners' bark, which has lost its heat, covering 



the bed with glasses, &c. to keep out the frost; this should be done in December 



If the seeds are good, and, as the spring advances, the pots are refreshed with water, the 

 plants will come up the beginning of April, when they should be frequently, but sparingly 

 watered, and constantly kept clean from weeds. As the summer advances, if the plants 

 are shaded in the heat of the day, it will greatly promote their growth ; but in warm 

 weather they must be exposed all night to receive the dew; so should only be covered in 

 the middle of the day : with this management, the plants -vr'Al rise to the height of five 

 or six inches the first summer. In October, they should be removed into the green-house. 



