VEGETABLES, 
359 
surmount it all ; are therefore proper to mend thin places 
in tall hedges. 
SYCAMORE. 
May 12. The sycamore, or great maple, is in bloom, and 
at this season makes a beautiful appearance, and affords 
much pabulum for bees, smelling strongly like honey. The 
foliage of this tree is very fine, and very ornamental to 
outlets. All the maples have saccharine juices. 
GALLS OF LOMBARDY POPLAR. 
The stalks and ribs of the leaves of the Lombardy poplar 
are embossed with large tumours of an oblong shape, which, 
by incurious observers, have been taken for the fruit of the 
tree. These galls are full of small insects, some of which are 
winged, and some not. The parent insect is of the genus 
of Gynips. Some poplars in the garden are quite loaded 
with these excrescences. 
CHESTNUT TIMBER. 
John Cakpenter brings home some old chestnut-trees which 
are very long ; in several places the wood-peckers had begun 
to bore them. The timber and bark of these trees are so 
very like oak, as might easily deceive an indifferent ob- 
server, but the wood is very shaky, and towards the heart 
cup- shaky (that is to say, apt to separate in round pieces 
like cups), so that the inward parts are of no use. They 
were bought for the purpose of cooperage, but must make 
but ordinary barrels, buckets, &c. Chestnut sells for half 
the price of oak; but has sometimes been sent into the 
king's docks, and passed off instead of oak. 
LIME BLOSSOMS. 
Dr. Chandler tells, that in the south of France, an infusion 
of the blossoms of the lime-tree [Tilia) is in much esteem 
as a remedy for coughs, hoarsenesses, fevers, &c., and that 
at I^ismes, he saw an avenue of limes that was quite ravaged 
and torn in pieces by people greedily gathering the bloom, 
which they dried and kept for these purposes. 
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