210 



THE HAWTHORN. 



poef's song as the tree under whose shade 



" shepherds sate of yore and wove 

 Mav-garlands." 



The spines^ or thorns, which form a characteris- 

 tic feature of this tree, are to "be distinguished 

 from prickles^ such as those wliich invest the stems 

 of the rose or bramhle. The latter are attached 

 only to the surface of the stem, and even to that 

 sometimes not very firmly. Thorns, however, are 

 to be considered as imperfect branches, being fur- 

 nished with proper bark, wood, and pith of their 

 own. They enlarge in the second year of their 

 grovrth, and for the most part produce buds and 

 leaves, and eventually flovrers and fruit : whereas 

 prickles never increase in size after the first year, 

 and are not converted into branches. 



Xot even is the colour of the blossom which 

 gives the name ^' AVhite-thorn" free from varia- 

 tions. Indeed, most commonly, it assumes a 

 pink hue in fading ; but in gardens and shrub- 

 beries, varieties are frequent in which the flower 

 is of a permanent and decided pink or crimson. 

 The perfume of the blossom is generally exceed- 

 ingly fragrant : but occasionally this fragrance 

 is ahnost overpowered by a strong fishy smell, 

 which is most perceptible when the branch is 

 held close to the nose, or carried into a close 

 room. The haw. too, varies greatly in size, 

 shape, and colour, being sometimes oblong, some- 

 times nearly globular ; sometimes downy, at other 

 times smooth and polished. Varieties have been 

 observed in which it exchanges its usual crimson 

 hue for black, orange, golden yellow, or white. 

 Ill the AVest of England, and probably most 

 other parts of the country, each haw contains a 



