Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/281

251&#93; BER because the phosphoric acid of the urine of infants, and the phosphat of lime contained in milk, both be- ing deposited in a solid form, con- tribute to the consolidation of the animal frame : and these two sub- stances have, by chemical analysis, been found to serve as the basis of bones. BERBERRIES, or Barberries, the Berberis, L. a shrub better known by the name of Piperidge lush. There are three species of this plant, but one onlv is indige- nous, namely, the vulgaris, or Common Berberry, which grows spontaneously in hedges in many parts of England and Scotland, and is frequently cultivated in gardens for its fruit, which makes a good pickle, and is used for garnishing dishes. It rises to the height of eight or ten feet, witii many stalks, which have externally awhite bark, but yellow on die inside: the stalks and branches are thorny; the leaves are oval, and obtuse, with slightly serated edges; the blossoms grow at the wings of die leaves, in small bunches, like those of the currant bush : these are succeeded by oval fruit, which are at first green, but when ripe turn to a fine red colour. The flowers appear in May and June; and the. fruit ripens in Sep- tember. — See With. 3 50, and Bngl, Bot.4§. There are three varieties of this shrub, viz. the berberry, which bears a fruit without stones; the berberry with white fruit; and ihe eastern berberry, or tiiat which produces a black and sweet fruit. 1 he first sort is generally propa- gated by suckers, but the method of planting by layers is preferable. The best time for laying down die branches, is in autumn; and the young shoots of the same year are BER [251 most proper for this purpose. Wi en this shrub is cultivated ioi- its fruit, it should be planted singly, and 1101 in hedges, as was formerly the practice; the, suckers should be cut up every autumn, and the luxu- riant shoots pruned; by this means the fruit will be more abundant, and of a better quality than that which grows wild. The third spe- cies should be planted in pots, and sheltered as soon as the young shoots are taken off, till the plan Li have acquired strength, when they may be removed to a warmer situa- tion. Berberries, on account of their astringent properties, have occa- sionally been prescribed in bilious diarrhoeas. The Egyptians used them in fluxes and malignant fe- vers, for abating heat, invigorating the body, and preventing putrefac- tion. For this purpose the fruit, according to Dr. Lewis, should be macerated for twenty-four hours, in twelve times its weight of water, with the addition of a little fennel- seed; the liquor, when strained, should be sweetened with sugar, or syrup of lemons, and given libe- rally as a drink. The flowers, when near, are offensive to the smell, but at a distance their odour is extreme- ly fragrant. An infusion of the bark in white wine, is purgative. In distillation, the berries, when previously bruised, have been mixed with die grain to increase the quan- tity of spirituous liquors. The rocta, boiled in ley, impart a yellow colour to wool; and in Poland, leather is tanned of a most beautiful yel.ow with die bark of the root. The in- ner bark also, with the addition of alum, has been employed for dye- ing linen of a similar colour. The effect of this shrub upon wheat lands is truly singular; and thou 'h