The tree of intemperance. Wine is a mocker; strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. Proverbs, XX, 1. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Prov. XXIII, 3 ? For the glutton and drunkard shall come to poverty, and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. Prov. XXIII, 21.
The roots of the tree are formed by snakes inscribed "Wine", "Gin", "Rum" and "Brandy". The big snake around the trunk is inscribed "Alcohol". The trunk is inscribed "Disease", a left branch "Poverty", the lower right branch "Insanity", and the upper right branch "Misery". The building in the background is inscribed "Poor House" and the building on the right (a prison) "The way of the transgressor is hard." Extensive lettering lists the evils of alcohol on each of the apples
