360 
OBSERVATIONS ON 
Upon the strongtli of this information we made some tea 
of lime blossoms, and found it a yerj soft, well flavoured, 
pleasant, saccharine julep, in taste much resembling the 
juice of liquorice. 
BLACKTHORN. 
This tree usually blossoms while cold north-east winds blow; 
so that the harsh rugged weather obtaining at this season is 
called by the country people, blackthorn winter. 
IVY BERRIES. 
Ivy berries afford a noble and providential supply for birds 
in winter and spring ; for the first severe frost freezes and 
spoils all the haws, sometimes by the middle of November ; 
ivy berries do not seem to freeze. 
HOPS. 
The culture of Yirgil's vines corresponded very exactly 
with the modern management of hops. I might instance 
in the perpetual diggings and hoeings, in the tying to the 
stakes and poles, in pruning the superfluous shoots, &c.; 
but lately I have observed a new circumstance, which was, 
"4 neighbouring farmer^s harrowing between the rows of hops 
with a small triangular harrow, drawn by one horse, and 
guided by two handles. This occurrence brought to my 
mind the following passage : — 
*' ipsa 
Flectere luctantes inter vineta juvencos." 
Georgic. II. 
Hops are dioecious plants; hence perhaps it might be 
proper, though not practised, to leave purposely some male 
plants in every garden, that their farina might impregnate 
the blossoms. The female plants without their male atten- 
dants are not in their natural state : hence we may suppose 
the frequent failure of crop so incident to hop-grounds ; no 
other growth, cultivated by man, has such frequent and 
general failures as hops. 
Two hop-gardens much injured by a hailstorm, June 5, 
show now (September 2) a prodigious crop, and larger and 
