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OBSERVATIONS ON VEGETABLES, 
GALLS OF LOMBAEDY POPLAE. 
The stalks and ribs of the leaves of the Lombardy poplar are em- 
bossed 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 cynips. Some poplars in the garden 
are quite loaded with these excrescences. — White. 
CHESTNUT TIMBEE. 
J ohn Carpenter 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 observer, but the wood is very shakey, and 
towards the heart cup-shakey, (that is to say, apt to separate in round 
pieces like cups) so that the inward parts are of no use. They are 
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. — White. 
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 Nismes, 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. 
Upon the strength of this information we made some tea of lime 
blossoms, and found it a very soft, well-flavoured, pleasant, saccharine 
julep, in taste much resembling the juice of liquorice — White. 
BLACKTHOEN. 
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. — White. 
IVY BEEEIES. 
Ivy berries form 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. — White. 
HOPS. 
The culture of Virgil's vines correspond 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 
