Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/432

398&#93; 398] BIR lifted, ancT treated in the same man- ner as grain intended to be used for that purpose. The beer thus brewed was found to be perfeftiy ■o-holesome and palatable; being Kttle inferior to that prepared from malt. Besides, the juice obtained from these excellent roots, may be advantageously converted into Su- gar. Sjc p. l&l, of the present volume. BILL, in commerce (vol. i. p. 257). — Under this article, we have omitted to state, that, if the sum amount to forty shillings, and do not exceed 5. 5s. a stamp-duty of 4d. only is requiied for such bills, or notes of hand. BIRCH-TREE (vol.1. p.26o). — Leonardi remarks, in t!ie 2d ▼olume of his " KatitraL Hhfory," p. 629, Germ. edit, that the flower catkins of tliis trer, when boiled in water, afford a good substitute for Soap. Beside the utility of the sap or jnice of the birch-tree, in affording a delicious trine, it appears from the experiments of Hkk.v BsT A F.DT, that luigar may be obtained by inspissat- ing the juice of the variety, called Black Birch. Such sugar, how- ever, is not only of an inferior qua- Kty, but less in quantity, th::n that prepared from the Sugar-MAi'LE. BIRD. — Although some kinds of the feathered tribe are of emi- nent service to agriculturists and gardeners, by devouring innumer- able insefts, yet as great injury is committed, especially by crows, we shall here briefly state a few expe- dients that have been lately recom- mended. — In some parts of Eng- land, farmers employ children to drive away such depredators by shouting : in others, the firing of serpents from guns, among flocks ofci:l>w6, has Ukewisc been found BLi: very efficacious; but the rnosf simple and least expensive contri- vances, are rattles, similar to tl.ose employed by the watchmen of the metropolis, which may be set in motion by children : — their terrific noise will etfeAually disperse pre- datory birds of every description. BITTERN, or ^rdea slellaris, L. a solitary British bird, inhabit- ing chiefly the fen-countries : it has a smooth head, and the plum- age, in general, is of a pale-yellow, sjK)tted and barred with black. — This bird may be distinguished from the whole feathered tribe, by t!ie dismal hollow note it utters, whileskulkiug among thereeds and sedge ; which noise may be heard at the distar.ce of a mile. Bitterns construft their nests with the leaves of water-plants, on some dry place among reeds ; where the female deposits rive or six eggs of a ' cinereous green colour. — Ihough in many respeds resembling the HEROhf, bitterns are neither so de- strudive nor so voracious : being, in general, satisfied with frogs, inseds, and vegetables. When wounded, and unable to escape, they still contend with the sports- man, and frequently strike at his eyes, in the attempt to secure them. Formerly, the bittern was held in great esteem at the tables of the opulent, and was sold at a high! price : it is still, by epicures, con- sidered a delicacy; its flesh par- taking of the flavour of a hare, without having the rank taste of the heron. BLEACHING. — In January, 1798, a patent was granted to Mr. Charles Tennant, for his me- thod of using calcareous earths, esjiecially those known under the names of Barjtes, and Strontites,