IiDOSANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. Prunus. 695 
P. insiti'tia. Fruit-stalks in pairs: leaves egg-shaped, slightly pu- 
bescent beneath, convolute : branches ending in a spine. 
E. Bot. 841. 
Stipulce cloven to the base. Calyx, its outer skin may be pulled off, ad¬ 
hering to the fruit-stalk, and appearing like an outer cap. Flowers 
white; larger than those of P. dornestica. Style straight. ( Fruit black, 
with a bluish bloom ; sometimes the colour of bee-wax, or red. In our 
climate this tree does not attain the size of P. dornestica. Berry roundish, 
austere. E.) 
Bullace Tree. (Irish i Droihean. Welsh: Eirinen Bidas. E.) Hedges. 
T. April.* 
P. spino'sa. Fruit-stalks solitary: leaves spear-shaped, smooth: 
branches thorny. 
FI. Dan. 926 —( E. Bot. 842. E.) — Sheldr. 73 —Woodv. 84 — Fuchs. 404 —- 
Trag. 1016 — J. B. i. a. 193 — Lonic. i. 51 — Blackw. 494 — Matth. 266— 
Dod. 753. 2— Lob. Ohs. 595. 1—Ger. Em. 1497. 5—Park. 1033— Ger. 
1313. 1. 2. 
Styles sometimes two. St. (A bushy, rigid, spinous shrub, with dark- 
coloured bark; considerably smaller than the last; flowers white, more 
decidedly preceding the leaves, which are scarcely an inch long. Fruit 
a black, roundish, austere berry. E.) 
Black-thorn. Sloe-tree. (Irish: Aim. Welsh: Draenen ddu; Ei- 
rin-berth. Gaelic : An-droighionn, preas-nan-airneag. P. sylvestris, the 
fruit; Pharm. Lond. E.) Hedges. S. March—April.f 
* The fruit is acid, but so tempered by a sweetness and roughness as not to be unplea¬ 
sant, particularly after having been mellowed by frosts. A conserve is prepared by mixing 
the pulp with thrice its weight of sugar. The bark of the roots and branches is considerably 
styptic. An infusion of the flowers, sweetened with sugar, is an aperient, not improper for 
children. 
t This species is not well adapted to grow in hedges, because it spreads its roots wide, and 
encroaches upon the pasturage; but it makes a good dead fence. The wood is hard and 
tough, and is formed into teeth for rakes, and walking sticks. From some effects which I 
have repeatedly observed to follow the prick of the thorns, I have reason to believe there is 
something poisonous in them, particularly in autumn. The tender leaves dried afford the 
best substitute for tea that has yet been tried. The fruit, 
(—-<< Sloes austere. 
Hard fare ! but such as boyish appetite 
Disdains not:” E.) 
bruised and put into wine gives it a beautiful red colour, and a pleasant subacid roughness. 
(It is believed to be a common ingredient in (British) Port-wine. E.) An infusion of a 
handful of the flowers is a safe cathartic. The bark powdered, in doses of two drams, will 
cure some agues. Letters written upon linen or w r oollen with the juice of the fruit will not 
wash out. Sheep, goats, and horses eat the leaves. The different species of Primus 
furnish nourishment to the Papilio Cratcegi, Polychloris, and Behdce; Phalatna querci- 
folia, quercus, laneslris , c&ruloeephala, pavonia, neustria , O.vyacanthce , Gitraga, prunaria, 
and bruniata ; Aphis padi ; Curculio Cerasi , and Pruni ; and Scarabceus horticola. — Puc- 
einea Pruni will frequently be found scattered in minute yellow spots, on the under side 
of the leaves, especially during autumn : Xyloma rubrum , “roundish, red, changing to dark 
brown,” Grev. Scot. Crypt. 120 : Purt.t. 33. pervades the substance to both sides: and 
Sphceria Prunastri, “ ventricose, mouths spinulose, bursting through the bark, four-sided ; ” 
may be observed on the decaying branches about the month of April. Unless to the 
observant eve of the naturalist, ever alive to each indication of returning Spring, conspicu- 
