GALE, or SWEET-WILLOW, in botany: A genus of the tetrandria order, belonging to the dioica clas of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 5th order, Amentaceae. The scale of the male catkin is in the form of a crescent, without any corolla. The scale of the female catkin the same: there is no corolla; but two styles, and a monospermous berry.

1. The gale, Dutch myrtle, or sweet-willow, grows naturally upon bogs in many places both of Scotland and England. It rises about four feet high, with many shrubby stalks, which divide into several slender branches, garnished with stiff spear-shaped leaves of a light yellowish green, smooth, and a little sawed at their points. The female flowers or catkins are produced from the sides of the branches, growing upon separate plants from the female, which are succeeded by clusters of small berries, each having a single seed. It flowers in July, and ripens in autumn. When transplanted into shrubberies, the moistest parts must be affixed to it.

The leaves, flowers, and seeds, of this plant, have a strong fragrant smell, and a bitter taste. They are said to be used among the common people for deterring moths and cutaneous insects, being accounted an enemy to insects of every kind; internally, in infusions, as a stomachic and vermifuge; and as a substitute to hops for preserving malt liquors, which they render more inebriating, and of consequence less salubrious; it is said that this quality is destroyed by boiling. 2. The cerifera, wax-bearing myrica, or candleberry myrtle, is a native of North America. It is a small tree about ten or twelve feet high, with crooked stems branching forth near the ground irregularly. The leaves grow irregularly on them all round; sometimes by pairs, sometimes alternately, but generally at unequal distances. They are of a lanceolate figure; and some are serrated at the top, whilst others have their edges wholly entire. They stand on very short footstalks; having their upper surface smooth, and of a thinning green colour, whilst their under is of a more dusky hue. The branches of the old plants shed their leaves in the autumn; but the young plants raised from seeds retain them the greatest part of the winter, so as during that season to have the appearance of an evergreen. But this beauty will not be lasting, for they shed their leaves proportionally earlier as the plants get older. There are both male and female trees of this sort: The flowers are small, of a whitish colour, and make no figure; neither does the fruit that succeeds the female, which is a small, dry, blue berry, though produced in clusters, make any show: So that it is from the leaves this tree receives its beauty and value; for these being bruised, as well as the bark of the young shoots, emit the most refreshing and delightful fragrance, that is exceeded by no myrtle, or any other aromatic shrub.

There is a variety of this species of lower growth, with shorter but broader leaves, and of equal fragrance. This grows commonly in Carolina; where the inhabitants collect from its berries a wax of which they make candles, and which occasions its being called the candleberry tree. It delights in a moist soil.

The wax is procured in the following manner: In November and December, when the berries are ripe, a man with his family will remove from home to some island or sand-bank near the sea, where these trees abound, taking with them kettles to boil the berries in. He builds a hut with palmetto leaves for the shelter of himself and family during his residence there, which is commonly four or five weeks. The man cuts down the trees, while the children strip off the berries into a porridge-pot; and having put water to them, they boil them till the oil floats, which is then skimmed off into another vessel. This is repeated till no more oil appears. When cold, this hardens to the consistence of wax, and is of a dirty green colour. Then they boil it again, and clarify it in brass kettles; which gives it a transparent greenness. These candles burn a long time, and yield a grateful smell. They usually add a fourth part of tallow, which makes them burn clearer. Both the above sorts may be propagated by seeds or layers. 1. The seeds of the candleberry myrtle we receive from abroad; those of the sweet-gale from the bogs, where they grow in England or Scotland. The best way is to sow them in boxes of earth from a rich pasture, well broken and fine. They should be sown about half an inch deep; and when the hot weather comes on, should be set in the shade. They will often remain until the second year before they come up, especially those seeds that come from abroad. If the boxes are set in the shade, and the plants come up, they will require no other trouble the first summer than keeping clean from weeds; in winter they should be removed to a warm hedge or wall, where they may enjoy the benefit of the sun. In the following spring they will come up in plenty. In the beginning of May they should resume their shady situation; and this summer they will require no other trouble than weeding and watering in dry weather. In the winter they should be removed into a well-sheltered place; and this may be repeated two years; when in the spring they should be taken out of the boxes, and planted in the nursery at about a foot aunder. 2. These sorts may be also easily propagated by layers; for this operation being performed on the young wood in the autumn, will occasion them to throw good roots by the autumn following; many of which will be good plants, fit for any place. 3. These plants may likewise be increased by suckers, for many of them often throw them out in vast plenty; so that these being taken out, the strongest and best-rooted may be finally set out; whilst the weaker, and those with less root, may be planted in the nursery.

There are five other species, viz., the nagi, or Japan myrica, with lanceolate entire veined leaves, and berries about the size of a cherry: the ethiopica, or willow-leaved myrica, with the leaves slightly serrated; a native of Ethiopia: the quercifolia, with oblong leaves, sinuated or notched on the sides, like the leaves of the oak; of which there are two varieties, the smooth and the hairy, natives of the Cape of Good Hope: the trifoliata, or trifoliate myrica, with ternate leaves toothed on the edges; and the cordifolia, or heart-leaved myrica, with subcordate, sawed, fiddle leaves; both also natives of the Cape. These are all tender plants, kept as curiosities in the greenhouse, and difficult of propagation.