The Work Of Nature In The Months.

nrobiibly y ielded as much and as good Tea Jus its berries have Wine . The Bullace Plum is a close ally of the Sloe differing but little from it more . than that its fruit is greenish-red or yellow instead of bluish-black .

Our childish companion of the Haw is the Hip , which is the fruit of the Dog Rose . These Hips , when beaten to a pulp in a mortar , yield the Conserve of Rose , which is so useful to the Druggist as a vehicle wherein to administer his more

nauseous , if health-giving , preparations . Another fruit yielded at this season is that of the Barberry , which yields a most delicious preserve and jelly . This shrub although , in addition to being thus useful as well as ornamentalit forms from the

, nature of its growth a capital hedge , is seldom thus employed , for the Agricultural mind views it with distrust , imagining that its presence is conducive to " rust" or "blight" in corn . That the Barberry is subject to a growth of orange-coloured

fungus is true ; that corn is somewhat similarly affected is also true ; that the two may sometimes exist side by side is not to be denied ; but that the " rust " of the Barberry comes from the " rust" of the corn is quite as likely as , but not more so than , is the truth of the counter proposition .

Another useful berry-bearing neighbour is the Elder . Who that has lived in the country is ignorant of " Elder-berry Wine ? " Who that indulges in " Tarragon Vinegar " can aver that he has not tasted the flavour of Elder shoots 1 Every part of the lant is usefulits flowersin

inp ; , fusion , are useful to induce perspiration ; when distilled with water , they yield a pleasant lotion for the skin ; whilst , too , noni its blossoms a cooling ointment is prepared ; its leaves bruised and rubbed on wo bod y protect it from the attacks of those

wretched little creatures that cause "s such exquisite torture in harvest-time , fae wood makes popguns for our little 0 nes , ^ and , when old , is an excellent substitute for boxwood ; whilst its pith is uvaluable to the man of Sciencefor of it

, v \ - , made t ] l 0 Se almost wei ghtless balls v > ich are used in electrical experiments . Rl i ' le 3 t of tlle bm ' ies > save the |( 5 'ackoerry , of which excellent jam and eese " ^ made , we must not pause now

to speak ; nor of those which , like the Privet , are useful only to the birds ; but we must just notice the Juniper , which if it yield the flavour of the much abused ( we mean in deed , not word , ) spirit known as " Gin , ' gives also to the physician a medicine most valuable in dropsy . The beautiful and aromatic wood of this shrub

is in much request for fancy turnery . Whilst noticing these fruit-bearers , we must not pass over the nut tribe , for what more useful or agreeable to man , in its humble way , than the Hazel . Without his well stored nut , where would be the charm to our pretty and vivacious little friend , the Squirrel , of " his hollow tree 1 " But we fancy that this hard-rinded fruit affords amusement , to the mandibles of a

more highly developed ( if allied more closely in disposition to the " monkey " tribe ) animal than the Squirrel . Very useful too , to this said animal , in a later stage of his ( or her ) growth is this selfsame

nut" Among the bonie winding banks , Where Boon rins , wimplin , clear , Where Bruce ance rul'd the martial ranks , An' shook his Garrick spear , Some merry , friendly , countra folks , Together did convene , To burn their nits , an' pou their stocks , An' haud their Halloween . Fu' blythe that night . The auld guidwife's weel-hoorded nits

Are round and round divided , An' monie lads' and lasses' fates Are there that night decided : Some kindle , couthie , side by side , An' burn thegither trimly ; Some start awa , wi' saucy pride ,

An jump ont-owre the chimlie .. Fu' high that night . " Very useful too , in a variety of ways , are the stems of the Hazel . Crates and hampers , bonds of faggots , hoops , and garden baskets are all formed of its wood ; nor must we forget its utility to the

fisherman who despises the ignorance of the bluff old sage of Fleet Street , who so graphically described a fishing-rod as " a stick with a worm at one end and a fool at the other . "

Other shrubs there are which , although perhaps affording no food to man , yet by reason of their beauty are in this wellnigh flowerless season quite as useful in their way as those that gratify another taste ; such are the berry-bearing tribe of Guelder Rose , Cornel Wood , the Wayfaring , and L