requires four horses, or the same number of oxen, and may be applied with great advantage in fallowing strong clay that requires frequent ploughings, as a breaking between each ploughing will pulverize the soil. In the month of March or April, on ploughing strong ground for barley, a cross brakeing is preferable to a cross ploughing, and may be performed at half the expence.
A brake with a greater number of teeth than that above described, is not proper for ground that is rendered adhesive by the roots of plants, such as land newly broken up: on the contrary, a less number of teeth would not sufficiently break the clods.
BRAMBLE, the Common, or Rubus fruticosus, L. a species of the raspberry bush, which grows wild in hedges, and has three varieties, one of which bears white fruit.—See With. 469. There are several other species indigenous in England; as the saxatilis, or stone bramble, the arcticus, or dwarf crimson bramble, the chamæmorus, or mountain bramble, by some called cloud-berry, and the corylifolius, or hazel-leaved bramble.
The bad effects of the fruit of the bramble, when eaten too freely, have already been mentioned under the article Blackberry. In Provence, it is employed in the colouring of wine. The Russians mix the berries of the saxatilis with honey, which, when fermented, is a pleasant beverage. Wine and vinegar are also made from the fruit of the bramble; and a syrup and jelly prepared from it, are used as gentle astringents. The leaves afford several colours in dyeing.
As this plant is of quick growth, it may be advantageously employed for inclosures; because it defends the young quick-set hedge from sheep, and by intertwining itself with a dead hedge, preserves it from injury. The usual method of planting it, is in two rows upon the bank, the lower of bramble, and the upper of white-thorn.
BRAN, the husks of wheat, which when ground are separated from the flour by a sieve. It contains a portion of the farinaceous matter, less glutinous than flour, and slightly detergent and purgative. Infusions of bran are often applied externally, to cleanse the hands instead of soap; and it also removes scurf and dandriff.
Bran may, in times of scarcity, be advantageously employed in the making of common household bread; this is effected by previously boiling the bran in water, and then adding the whole decoction to the dough: thus the bran will be sufficiently softened, and divested of its dry husky quality; while the nutritive part, which is supposed to contain an essential oil, is duly prepared for food. It is asserted, that the increase in the quantity of bread, by the addition of 14lb. 14 oz. of bran to 56lb. of flour, is from 34lb. to 36lb. of bread, beyond what is produced by the common mode. In one instance, 56lb. of flour, with 14lb. 14 oz. of bran, produced, on being weighed the next day, when cold, 106lb. and a half of bread; which is above half as much more than what is commonly made, and about twice the quantity obtained from a bushel of wheat, when merely the fine flour is used.
BRANDY, is a spirituous and inflammable liquor, obtained by distillation from wine. French brandies are accounted the best in
