Lime-Tree, or Tilia, L. a genus of trees consisting of seven species ; the principal or which is the Europaea, Common Lime-tree, or Linden-tree, growing in woods and hedges; flowering in the month of July.- In a rich soil, it attains 3 prodigious size, being sometimes

20 feet in circumference, but frequently hollow : there are instances of lime-trees having survived 800 years, in different parts of Germany.

The linden-tree is erroneously supposed to be a native of Britain; for, according to Mr. Pennant, it was imported into England previously to the year 1652.—The blossoms of this tree are of a whitish colour, possess a fragrant smell, and supply the bees with the best honey. Whether fresh or dry, they easily ferment, and Marggkaf distilled from them a very fine-flavoured brandy.—The wood is soft, light, and smooth: close-grained, and not easily subject to be infested by the worm, if kept in dry places. It is used for making leather-cutters' boards, for carved work, and likewise for turnery-ware.—The leaves may be dried, and preserved as winter fodder, being eagerly eaten by sheep and goats. Cows also relish them in the autumn, but their milk thus acquires a very unpleasant taste.—Excellent ropes are. made of the inner-bark on the Continent, and which do not soil the linen suspended on them for drying : from the same substance the Russians manufacture mats, shoes, and other rustic garments. Linden cordage is so remarkably strong and elastic, that in this respect it is superior to iron chains.

The lime-tree is remarkable for the excrescences, orgalls, which ap-pearon the edges ot its leaves during the spring: they are of an.blong irregular shape; of a reddish colour, and occasioned by a worm that inhabits them while alive, and which was first discovered by Reaumur. These ammo-vegetable productions being very numerous, he was of opinion tha they might be advantageously employed in dyeing: and, to ascertain their properties, be made various experiments, by rubbing the galls on linen, to which they imparted a beautiful red colour that was not discharged, though it had been washed two or three times.— Hence, it is highly probable that lime-galls may be rendered valuable in the art of dyeing; and a considerable expence, which is at present incurred by the importation of cochineal, and similar drugs, might thus be saved.

This useful tree farther contains a mucilaginous juice, which, by repeated boiling and clarification, produces a substance similar to sugar : we conceive it may be ex-tracted from it in the manner already stated, vol. i. p. 260, under the article Birch-tree.

The wood of the lime-tree, though affording an indifferent fuel, may be converted into excellent charcoal for drawing, and for the manufacture of gunpowder. From the external bark, Ruger prepared a fine rose-coloured lake. Both the bark and leaves afford materials for a coarse, but smooth, brown paper, of a reddish cast: and that manufactured of the former, is peculiarly well calculated for drawings.- The seeds yield, on expression, a sweet and agreeable oil, similar to that which is found in ripe cocoa-nuts; and is of equal service as an ingredient in chocolate.