THE YOUNG SCIENTIST. 
361 
colors, a given tint, for grounds, etc., 
particularly for large work, as they vary 
in consistence, and are therefore difficult 
to measure ; whereas, the proportions of 
dry colors may be correctly weighed, and 
if a memorandum is kept, the exact tint 
may be reproduced with certainty, with- 
out further experiments. 
*' V. Moist colors in tubes are apt to be- 
come in time, what is technically termed 
* fat,' which makes them liable to blister 
in the fire. Dry colors may be mixed 
with as little fat oil as experience proves 
necessary for the particular kind of work 
in hand, and the artist has it in his power 
to render them ' fat ' or ' cutting, accord- 
ing to the requirements of his work, at 
the moment." 
It is claimed too that the purchaser of 
dry color has this further advantage : that 
he obtains so much of the dearer pigment 
in place of the cheaper medium ; and cer- 
, tainly, taking quantity for quantity, a 
comparison of the prices of the No. 2 
sized bottles with those charged by other 
makers for moist colors, fully supports 
this claim, and this should be a leading 
consideration with the amateur, who may 
save not only the maker's cost of mixing, 
which is a very simple operation, but also 
his interest on such cost. 
I may add to the foregoing " reasons," 
that in a foreign moist make which I have 
used, I have found tubes from which it 
has been impossible to express the paint, 
which had become as hard as a rock. 
( To be continued.) 
Christmas Greens Botany. 
BY A. W. ROBERTS. 
lO one who has his eyes wide 
open, much that is instructive 
and interesting in botany may 
be learned at any of our large 
markets during the two weeks preceding 
Christmas ; for next to the big and little 
Christmas trees, comes the loose Christ- 
mas-greens, roping, etc., etc., that are 
used. In this branch of Christmas greens 
much interesting information is to be 
gained, as, for instance, the fact that large 
shipments of the English mistletoe are re- 
ceived through the Custom House some 
two weeks before Christmas. T^iis Eng- 
lish mistletoe is eagerly bought up by 
our English, Scotch, Welsh, and German 
adopted citizens. In habit the mistletoe 
is a true parasite, and feeds on the sap of 
the tree on which it grows. The fruit of 
this curious evergreen consists of a semi- 
transparent berry, the flesh of which is 
very sticky, and contains a single seed. 
The favorite trees of the mistletoe are the 
apple and oak. So much is this the case 
with apple trees in some parts of Eng- 
land, where they are cultivated exten- 
sively, the mistletoe has become the great 
pest and destroyer of the apple or- 
chards. But the most curious fact regard- 
ing the planting of the seed of the mistle- 
toe is, that it is entirely due to the birds 
of England that remain in that country 
during the long winter months; these 
birds being hard pressed for food, are 
forced to feed on the sticky berries of the 
mistletoe, the seeds of which they leave 
sticking to. the branches of the tree on 
which the mistletoe is growing. These 
seeds, in course of time, germinate and 
live on the sap of the tree. As the Eng- 
lish mistletoe does not grow in the North 
of England or Scotland, florists are in the 
habit of planting the seeds of the mistle- 
toe on young apple and oak trees, and, 
when the mistletoe has attained a good 
size, the trees are disposed of at high 
prices, they being a great curiosity in 
Scotland and the northern parts of Eng- 
land. The mistletoe was greatly vener- 
ated by the ancient Britons, and was 
considered by the Druids as an absolute 
and sacred charm against disease and mis- 
fortune, the priests at certain seasons of 
the year, with great solemnity, gathered 
it from the oak trees with a golden 
sickle. The ancient custom of kissing 
under the mistletoe bough during Christ- 
mas times, has been handed down since 
the feudal times. The leaf of the Eng- 
lish mistletoe is long and graceful in 
shape, whilst that of our native mistle- 
toe is short, rounding and clumsy look- 
ing; of this variety large quantities are 
gathered from the live oaks of Florida to 
be disposed of in the northern markets 
during Christmas time. From the ber- 
ries of the mistletoe, the very best of 
