ating
ovens, &c. Cattle and sheep relish it much; but it cannot be eaten by
them except when young, in consequence of its strong spines; to obviate
which an implement has been invented for bruising it. When it grows wild
on our waste land, it is common to set it on fire in the summer months,
and the roots and stems will throw up from the ground young shoots,
which are found very useful food for sheep and other animals. It is
readily grown from seeds, six pounds of which will be enough for an acre
of land.

* * * * *

PLANTS USEFUL IN THE ARTS.

SECT. VI.--BRITISH TREES AND SHRUBS.

102. ACER Pseudo-Platanus. SYCAMORE.--The wood of this tree is soft and
of little use, unless it is for the turners' purposes, who make boxes
and other small toys of it. It is not of value as timber.

103. ACER campestre. THE MAPLE.--Before the introduction of Mahogany and
other fine woods the Maple was the principal wood used for all kinds of
cabinet work, and was much esteemed: the knobs which grow on those trees
in an old state afforded the most beautiful specimens, and according to
Evelyn were collected by the curious at great prices. The Maple trees in
this country are none of them at the present day old enough to afford
that fine-veined variegation in the timber which is alluded to in this
account.

104. ARBUTUS Unedo. THE STRAWBERRY-TREE.--Is a native of the islands in
the celebrated Lake of Killarney in Ireland, where it grows to a large
size. We know of no particular use to which it is applied. It is however
one of our most ornamental evergreen shrubs, producing beautiful
flowers, which vary from transparent white to deep red, in the winter
months, at which season also the fruit appears; which taking twelve
months to come to maturity affords the singular phaenomenon in plants, of
having lively green leaves, beautiful flowers, and fruit as brilliant as
the richest strawberry, in the very depth of our winter. We have a fine
variety of this plant with scarlet blossoms, and also one with double
flowers, both of which are singularly ornamental to the shrubbery.

105. ARBUTUS Uva Ursi. BEAR-BERRIES.--A small trailing plant of great
repute as a medicine, but of no use in any other respect.

106. BERBERIS vulgaris. BARBERRY.--This has long been cultivated in
gardens for its fruit, which is a fine acid, and it is used as a
conserve, and also for giving other sweeter fruits a fla