CHAP. C1X.

.VYIUCa'cETE. AfYRlCA.

2057

Plantarum) called it Gale; Carduus and L’Obel, .Elmagnus; and Dalechampand Parkinson , Ahus; the latter supposing it to be the tfhus sylvestris, orwild sumach, of Pliny ; while the Danish professor, Simon Paulli , asserted itto be the same as the Chinese tea tree. According to Gerard, this plant, inhis time, grew so abundantly in the Isle of Ely, that the inhabitants madefaggots of it (which they called goule sheaves) to heat their ovens. In moremodern times, the twigs are laid by country people among clothes, to givethem an agreeable smell, and to keep away the moths. The Welsh laybranches on their beds to keep off the fleas. The plant is also used, bothin Wales and Sweden , to dye wool yellow, and to tan calf-skins. Theleaves are bitter, and are sometimes used instead of hops in brewingbeer; but, unless boiled a long time, they are reported to give a head-ach. A strong decoction of the leaves and twigs is used, in Swe-den , to destroy bugs; and both the Highlanders and the Welsh givean infusion of the leaves to children, to kill worms. In Scot-land, the inhabitants stuff beds with the leaves. The berriesare put in beer, in the same manner as those of Cocculusindicus, to make it heady and intoxicating; and, when dry, V Mjj jpglkthey are used, at St. Leger, in the neighbourhood of Paris , fj^x||5!pPas spice. In a fresh state, they yield an essential oil bydistillation. Linnteus states that the catkins, when boiled,will throw up a scum like wax. The gale is the badge of theHighland clan Campbell. A variety with larger leaves, &c., i g6 7is mentioned by Mirbel, and a figure of it given in the Mem. Mus., 14.p. 474. t. 28., of which our Jig. 1967. is a reduced copy.

« 2. M. ceri'fera L. The common Wax -bearing, or American , Candleberry

Myrtle.

Identification. Willd. Sp. PI, 4. p. 745.; Pursh FI. Amer. Sept., 2. p. 260.; N. Du Ham., 2. p. 190.;Lam. Encyc. , 2. p. 592. j Lin. Sp., 1453. j Reich., 4. p. 244.: Hort. Cliff.. 455. ; Gr6n. Virg., 120.:Kalm It., 2.p. 212.

Synonymes. M. cerifera angustifblia Ait. Hort. Keu>. t 3. p. 396.; M^rtus brabantica, &c., Pink.Alm.y 260. t. 48., Cat . Car ., 1. p. 69.; C^rier de la Louisiane, Fr.

Engravings. Pluk. Aim., t. 48. f. 9.; Cat. Car., 1.1. 69.

The Sexes. Only the male is in the Hackney Arboretum ; but, as seeds are annually imported fromAmerica , the female is doubtless in the country in many places.

Spec. Char., §c. Leaves lanceolate, pointed, serrated, flat, somewhat shining.{Lam. Encyc .) A large shrub, from 5ft. to 12ft. high, and upwards; anative of North America . Introduced in 1699, and flowering in Mayor June.

Varieties.

» M. c. 2 latifblia Ait. Hort. Kew., ed. 1., iii. p. 396.; M. c. mediaMichx. FI. Bor. Amcr., ii. p. 228.; M. carolinensis Willd. Sp. PI.,iv. p. 746., Ait. Hort. Kew., edit. 2., v.p. 379., Mill. Diet. , No. 3., Pursh FI.

Amer. Sept., ii. p. 620.; M. pennsylvanicaLam. Encyc . ii. p. 592., N. Du Ham., ii.p. 190. t. 55., and our Jig. 1968.; M. c.sempervirens Hort.; iHyrtus brabanticaCal. Car., i. t. 13.; Cerier de Pennsyl-vania, Fr., Carolinischer Wachstrauch,

Ger. The broad-leaved American Candle-berry Myrtle. —This variety has the leavesbroader than those of the species, and anarborescent stem. According to the Nou-veau Du Hamel, it is hardier than M.cerifera; and, in the garden at Malmaison,near Paris , has attained the height of 8 fl, Jt Jg mentioned byCatesby, as having its leaves broader, and more serrated, than thecommon American candleberry myrtle; and it appears that it was