34 PLANTS USEFUL IN THE ARTS.

105. ARBUTUS Una Ursi. Bear-berries. —A small trailing plant ofgreat repute as a medicine, but of no use in any other respect.

106. BERBERIS vulgaris. Barberry. —This has long been culti-vated in gardens for its fruit, which is a fine acid, and it is used as aconserve, and also for giving other sweeter fruits a flavour. The com-mon wild kind has stones in the fruit, which renders it disagreeable toeat. There is a variety without stones calied the Male Barberry, whichis preferred on this account.

This tree is subject to a disease in the summer, caused apparentlyfrom a yellow fungus growing on the leaves and young shoots; and itis said that where it grows near corn fields it imparts its baneful in-fluence to the grain, tor which reason it is recommended in some of ourbooks on agriculture to exterminate the trees.

107. BETULA alba. Birch-Tree. —Is in great use and of consider-able value on some estates for making brooms, and the timber for all ■purposes of turnery-ware and carving. The sap of the Birch-tree isdrawn by perforating the bark in the early state of vegetation. It isfermented, and makes a very pleasant and potent beverage called BirchWine.

108. BETULA Ahms. Alder-Tree.— This is a valuable tree forplanting in moors and wet places. The wood is used for makingclogs, pattens, and other such purposes; and the bark for dyeing andmanufacturing <ome of the finer kinds of leather. This wood is ofconsiderable value for makimr charcoal for gunpowder. In charringit a considerable quantity of acetic acid is extracted, which is of greatvalue for the purpose of bleaching, Sec. &c.

109. BUXUS stmpervirens. Box-Tree —The wood of Box is of greatvalue for tnusical instruments, and for forming the bandies of manytools: being very hard, it admits of a fine polish. This tree is grow-ing in quantity at Box-hill in Surry, and has given name to that place.

This was planted by a late Duke of Norfolk, and has succeeded sowell, that the wood has been cut twice, and sold each time for treble thevalue of the fee-simple of the land.

It forms a better cover for <jame than any other plant; and beingvery bitter, is not liable to be destroyed by any animal eating it down.An infusion of the leaves is frequently given as a vermifuge with goodeffect.

There is a smaller variety of this, much used for making edging t°gravel walks in gardens.

110. CARPINUS Betidus. The Hornbeam.— This grows to a largetree, but is not of much account as timber : it is however very usefulinforming ornamental fences, and is well adapted to this purposefrom the tendency of its young branches to grow thick.