The Thorn (Black). 



were to become common, be really an ornament to tbe 

 country ; and common it may be, if people will take the 

 pains to send for the seed. I have sold the trees this year 

 for a shilling a-piece ; next year, if I have good luck, I dare 

 say 1 shall sell them for twenty or thirty shillings a hun- 

 dred ; and, if I keep on my nursery affair, I should not 

 wonder if I were to sell them the year after, for ten or 

 fifteen shillings a hundred in the mean while, I am now 

 about to sell some of the seed ; and therefore, other people 

 may raise them if they will, at the rate perhaps of five for 

 a penny. 



THIS THORSr (BIsACK). 



In Latin, Prunus Sylvestris. 



504. The botanical characters are : — The flower has a bell-shaped empale- 

 mentof one leaf, cut into five parts ; it has five large roundish petals which 

 spread open, aud are inserted in the enipalenient ; and froni twenty to 

 thirty stamina which are nearly as long; as the petals, and are also inserted 

 in the empalemeut, terminated by twin summits. It lias a. roundish Germen 

 supporting a slender style crowned by an orbicular stigma. The Germen 

 afterwards turns to a roundish fruit, enclosing a nut of the same form. 



505. The tree, or rather the bush, on the subject of 

 ^vhich I am now about to hope for the reader's attention, 

 is pretty well known to most English people, who 

 generally, perhaps, look upon it as something of little im- 

 portance; but which is of real importance as to the two 

 great purposes to which it is applied ; namely, the making 

 of excellent hedges, and the making of excellent Port 

 icine : in which last of its functions I shall consider it 

 first. 



T 2 



