ALDER BUCKTHORN. 



RHAMNUS FRANGULA. 



RHAMNE^. PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 



Black berry-bearing Alder. Black dogwood. — French, burgene. — 

 Italian, alno nero. 



This is one of the unarmed species of the Rhamnus ; 

 it is a black-looking shrub, growing in the woods : the 

 lea\'es are about two inches long, and one broad in the 

 middle; the flowers make but little show, being very 

 small, and of an herbaceous colour ; and these are suc- 

 ceeded by black berries. 



In its wild state this shrub seldom exceeds four feet in 

 height, but by cultivation may be reared to ten or twelve 

 feet. It is a native of the greater part of Europe, and 

 of Siberia. From the bark and the berries are prepared 

 dyes of various colours, blue, green, yellow, and black. 

 The blossoms are particularly grateful to bees, and the 

 leaves are voraciously devoured by goats. 



The wood is very Hght, and the charcoal formed from 

 it is mvich prized by the manufacturers of gunpowder, 

 who bay up all they can procure of it, and use it only 

 for the very best gunpowder. 



The juice expressed from the berries being boiled 

 down with some gum arable and a little alum, and then 

 poured into bladders to grow hard, is the colour called 

 sap green. 



