﻿for the next season. The Flowers come out very early in the 

 Spring, before the leaves appear, and are situated on the shoots of 

 the former year, in little tufts, which are often so thickly placed as 

 to entirely conceal the branches. Bracteas several, egg-shaped, 

 smooth, brown. Corolla none. Calyx for per ianthiumj like a 

 corolla in texture, of a beautiful crimson-colour ; the tube hairy on 

 the outside. Berries, when ripe, scarlet, not quite so large, nor 

 quite so globular as represented in the accompanying plate. 



There is a variety with white flowers ; and the berries also vary 

 to a yellow or orange colour. 



The Mezereon is one of our most early flowering shrubs, and one of the great- 

 est ornaments to our gardens in the months of February and March, when it 

 is, as Cow per says, 



“ Though leafless, well attired, and thick beset 



With blushing wreaths, investing every spray.” 



The flowers are very sweet scented, and where there are many together, they 

 will perfume the air to a considerable distance. It is observed by Mr. Phillips, 

 that “ Nature, whose works never cease to excite our admiration, astonishes us 

 by the wonders contained in the buds of this plant, where not only the flowers, 

 but the parts of fructification may be distinctly seen the year before they unfold 

 themselves.” To this fact I can myself bear testimony, for having this afternoon, 

 June 25, 1834, carefully dissected one of the buds, I could discern, with the 

 help of a common pocket lens, the flower, and also the pistil and stamens, very 

 distinctly. 



The plant is extremely acrid, especially when fresh, and if retained in the 

 mouth excites great and long continued heat and inflammation, particularly of 

 the throat and fauces; the berries also have the same effects, and, when swal- 

 lowed, prove a powerful corrosive poison, not only to man, but to dogs, wolves, 

 foxes, &c. ; yet they are attractive to singing birds, especially to the several 

 species of Finch ( Loxia ). Dr. Swediaur informs us, that the antidote to this 

 potent poison is camphor. The branches afford a yellow dye. An ointment 

 prepared from the bark or the berries has been successfully applied to ill-condi- 

 tioned ulcers. In Fiance and the Peninsula the bark, macerated a little in vine- 

 gar, is applied to the skin to promote a discharge as a perpetual blister; and is 

 also occasionally serviceable, when masticated, as a remedy for the tooth-ache. 

 It is used by fraudulent brewers to communicate an intoxicating quality and 

 strong taste to weak beer; a practice worthy of execration. See Wither. Bot. 

 Arr. and Woodv. Med. Bot. 



The Natural Order , Thyme'lje.*, of which Daphne is the only British 

 example, is composed of dicotyledonous shrubs, rarely herbaceous plants, with 

 tenacious bark. The leaves have no stipula;, and are either alternate or oppo- 

 site, and entire. The flowers are capitate or spiked, terminal or axillary, oc- 

 casionally solitary. The calyx is inferior, coloured and petal-like, more or less 

 tubular, with 4 or 5 divisions, which are imbricated before expansion. They 

 have no corolla, but the calyx is sometimes furnished with scales in the orifice, 

 as in the exotic genus Gnidia. The stamens are definite, inserted in the tube or 

 its orifice, generally 8 in number, sometimes 4, less frequently 2; when equal 

 in number to the segments of the calyx or fewer, opposite to them ; the anthers 

 are 2-celled, opening lengthwise in the middle. The ovarium is solitary, and 

 contains a single pendent ovulum. The style is simple ; and terminated lay an 

 equally simple stigma. The fruit is hard, dry, and nut-like, or drupaceous. 

 The albumen is thin and fleshy, sometimes wanting. The embryo is straight, 

 and reversed; the cotyledons plano-convex; the radicle short and superior; 

 and th ejolumula inconspicuous. See Lind. Syn. and Rich, by Macgilliv. 



