176 



A DISCOURSE 



BOOK I. educated in the nursery like the Chestnut. It is reported that the sower 

 ^^^^^ never sees the fruit of his labour ; either for that it bears only being very 

 old, or that men are commonly so before they think of planting trees : 

 But this is an egregious mistake ; for these come very soon to be trees, 

 and, being planted young, thrive exceedingly ; I have likewise planted 

 them as big as my arm successfully. The best way is therefore to pro- 



and stand upon longer foot-stalks ; these appear in May, and are succeeded by roundish 

 compressed fruit, which are shaped like large haws, and ripen late in autumn, when they are 

 brown ; and if kept till they are soft, in the same way as medlars, they have an agreeable 

 acid flavour. The fruit of this tree is sold in the London markets in autumn. 



3. CRATAEGUS C coccinba-J foliis ovatis repando-angulatis serratis glabris. Lin. Sp. 

 PI. 682. Service with oval, smooth, sawed leaver, havmg angles. Mespilus, apii folio, Vir- 

 giniana, spinis horrida, fructu ample coccineo. Pluk. Aim. 249. The virg in i ah thoru, com' 

 monly called cockspur-thorn. 



The Virginian Cockspur-thorn will grow to about twenty feet high. It rises with an upright 

 stem, irregularly sending forth branches, which are smooth, and of a brownish colour, 

 spotted thinly with small white spots. It is armed with thorns that resemble a cockspur, 

 which gives it the appellation of Cockspur-thorn, In winter, the leaf-buds appear large, 

 turgid, and have a bold and pleasant look among others of different appearances. — 

 In summer, this tree is very delightful. The leaves are oval, angular, serrated, smooth, and 

 bend backwards. They are about four inches long, and three and a half broad; have five 

 or six pair of strong nerves running from the midrib to the border; and die to a brownish 

 red colour in the autumn. The flowers are produced in very large umbels, making a noble 

 show in May, and are succeeded by large fruit, of a bright red colour. The principal 

 varieties of this species are : The Cockspur-hawthorn with many thorns; the cockspur with 

 no thorn ; the cockspur with eatable fruit. 



4, CRATiEGUS f CRUS galli ) foliis lanceolato-ovatis serratis glabris, j-amis spinosis. — 

 Lin. Sp. 682. Service with oval, spear-shaped, sawed leaves, and prickly branches. Mespilus 

 aculeata pyrifolia denticulata splendens, fructu insigni rutilo, Virginiensis. Pluk. Aim. 249. 

 Virginian l'azarole. 



This species will grow to be near twenty feet high. The stem is robust, and covered with a light- 

 coloured bark. The branches are produced without order ; are of a dark-brown colour, and 

 possessed of a few long sharp thorns. The leaves are spear-shaped, oval, smooth, and 

 serrated ; of a thickish consistence, and often remain on the tree the greatest part of the 

 winter. Each separate flower is large; but as few of them grow together, the umbels they 

 form are rather small. They come out in May, and are succeeded by large dark red- 

 coloured fruit, which ripens late in the autumn. The Varieties of this species are ; the Pear- 

 leaved Thorn ; the Plum-leaved Thorn, with very long strong spines, and large fruit ; the 

 Plum-leaved Thorn, with short spines and small fruit. 



