The Thorn (Black). 



They may be suffered to hang till they are dead ripe, pro- 

 vided the boys do not find them out; for though, as we have 

 seen, excellent in the making of Port wine, they are rather 

 too astringent, too "rough,'' for the birds, whose tastes 

 seem to differ from the lovers of " Good Old Fort." When 

 ripe, they should be gathered ; mixed with dampish sand, 

 kept turned in a cellar or a shed, until the month of Feb- 

 ruary, and then sowed in beds in the manner directed in the 

 case of the Ash^ 



513. Like the seed of the Plum, that of the Black Thorn 

 comes up the first year; that is to say, if not sowed too late, 

 and if kept in moist sand or earth until the time of sowing; 

 and without these precautions. Plum-stones will lie a whole 

 year before they begin to sprout, as Peach and Apricot 

 stones will. If managed in the manner that I have here 

 directed, the Black Thorn plants will be up in the month of 

 May, and in the month of October afterwards, they will be 

 from five to eight inches high. In the month of November, 

 or in the next month of March, they ought to be removed 

 into a nursery, being assorted and planted in the manner 

 directed for the Hawthorn, paragraph 275; and as to the 

 manner of putting them into hedges ; as to the age of the 

 plants for this vrork, as to the season, and every thing else 

 relating to it; the reader will first turn to paragraph 2/6, 

 and after that to paragraphs 34 to 37 inclusive. 



514. As an ornamental shrub, or little tree, the Black 

 Thorn is by no means equal in beauty to the Hawthorn ; 

 neither the shape nor colour of the leaf is equal to that of 

 the White Thorn nor is the leaf nearly so abundant; in 

 proportion to the size of the tree. But, the Black Thorn 

 comes into bloom a full month, if not six weeks, before the 

 Hawthorn ; and it makes a very gay show, when scarcely 



