1308
ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.
PART III,
England ; growing to the height of 4 ft., and flowering in February, March,or April.
Varieties. ,
st D. M. 2 ficrre albo has white flowers and yellow fruit.
* D. M. 3 autumnale. — This is a remarkably distinct variety, not fas-tigiate in its mode of growth, but spreading; also with larger leavesthan the species, and producing its flowers in autumn. These arevery seldom succeeded by fruit, as might be expected from the seasonat which they are produced. It is a most desirable shrub, beingcommonly covered with its gay pinkish blossoms from November toMarch. It is rare in the nurseries about London ; and is principallypropagated by the Messrs. Backhouse of York .
Description, §c. The mezereon is a well-known shrub, much valued inour gardens and shrubberies for the beauty both of its flowers and fruit. Itproduces its agreeably fragrant flowers in February or March, before theleaves; when, as Cowper has beautifully expressed it, its branches are
“ Though leafless, well attired, and thick besetWith blushing wreaths, investing every spray.” Task, book v.
The whole shrub is poisonous to human beings,though the berries are a favourite food for finches,and other birds, more especially the robin. Thebark is powerfully acrid: it is used in France forforming setons or slight blisters, and is very effica-cious in cases where it is thought desirable to pro-duce a slight serous discharge, without raising alarge blister. When either the bark or berries arechewed, they produce violent and long-continuedheat and irritation in the mouth and throat. Themezereon is sometimes used in medicine; but itrequires to be administered by a skilful hand.
When the berries have been eaten by children orothers, accidentally, the best remedies are oil, freshbutter, linseed tea, milk, or some other kind of Uemollient, to allay the violence of the inflammation.
The branches of this plant afford a yellow dye. Themezereon is of .very easy culture. It is generallypropagated by seeds; which, if suffered to get drybefore they are sown, will remain two years in the soil; but which, if sown inautumn immediately after gathering them, generally come up the followingspring. The best time for transplanting this shrub is in October, as it beginsto vegetate very soon after Christmas . It thrives most in a loamy soil, andin an open situation ; and, when it is properly treated, and has room, it willin 8 or 10 years form a bush 5 ft. or 6 ft. high, and 7 ft. or 8 ft. in diameter.There is a plant in the arboretum of Messrs. Loddiges, 6 ft. high. Price ofplants, in the London nurseries, 50s. a hundred; and of the autumn-floweringvariety, Is. 6 d. a plant : at Bollwyller, 50 cents a plant: and at New York ,20 cents, and of the white-flowered variety, 50 cents.
a 2. D. alta'ica Pall. The Altaic Daphne.
Identification. Pall. FI. Ross., 1. p. 53. t. 35.; Willd. Sp. PI., 2. p. 422.; Sims in Bot. Mag., 1.1875.;Lodd. Cat. , ed. 1836.
Synonymes. Daphne altaique, Laureole de Tartarie, Fr .; Sibirischer Seidelbast, Ger.
Engravings . Pall. FI. Ross., 1. t. 35. j Bot. Mag., t. 3875.; Bot. Cab., t. 399. j and our Jig. 1181.
Spec. Char., tf-c. Leaves obovate-lanceolate, glabrous. Flowers sessile, interminal umbels, about 5 in an umbel. (Sims in Pot. Mag., t. 1875.) Barkreddish brown in colour. Leaves oblong, broader towards the upperextremity, and narrowed downwards, of a somewhat glaucous anilyellowish green, the latter colour prevailing most while they are young.Flowers white, and scentless; produced in May and June. Lobes °f