small quantity grown
in this country is by no means equal to the demand, and Spain has the
advantage of trade in this article, where the plant grows wild in the
greatest abundance. An impure alkali similar to these is obtained from
the combustion of other marine plants, as the Fuci, &c. by the people in
Scotland.

65. BORAGO officinalis. BORAGE--A fine cooling beverage is made from
this herb, called Cool Tankard. It is merely an infusion of the leaves
and flowers put into water, with the addition of wine, nutmeg, &c. &c.

* * * * *

OBSERVATIONS on the BLEEDING TREES, and procuring the Sap for making
Wine, and brewing Ale.

In the article BIRCH TREE, (p. 34, No. 107, of this volume,) we have
mentioned the abstracting the sap for the purpose of making wine; and as
this is practicable, and may be obtained in some places at little
expense and trouble, I shall take the liberty of transcribing the
following curious paper on the subject.

"To obtain the greatest store of sap in the shortest time from the body
of a tree, bore it quite through the pith, and the very inner rind on
the other side, leaving only the bark unpierced on the north-east side.
This hole to be made sloping upwards with a large auger, and that under
a large arm near the ground. This way the tree will in a short time
afford liquor enough to brew with; and with some of these sweet saps,
one bushel of malt will make as good ale as four bushels with ordinary
water. The Sycamore yields the best brewing sap.

"The change of weather has a great effect on the bleeding of plants.
When the weather changes from warm to cold, Birch ceases to bleed, and
upon the next warmth begins again: but the contrary obtains in the
Walnut-tree, and frequently in the Sycamore, which upon a fit of cold
will bleed plentifully, and, as that remits, stop. A morning sun after
frost will make the whole bleeding tribe bleed afresh.

"From the latter end of January to the middle of May trees will bleed.
Those that run first, are the Poplar, Asp, Abele, Maple, Sycamore. Some,
as Willows and the Birch, are best to tap about the middle of the
season, and the Walnut towards the latter end of March.

"When a large Walnut will bleed no longer in the body or branches, it
will run at the root, and longer on the south or sunny side than on the
north or shady side.

"A culinary fire will have the same or greater effect than the sun, and
immediately set t