28 The Scottish Naturalist. 



brought into the market, and in some places a considerable 

 amount of money is made by those who gather them for sale. 

 A variety with white berries is sometimes found, and has been 

 observed in woods between Dunkeld and Blair-Athol by one of 

 the Dukes of Athol. 



The Great Bilberry (V. uliginosum L.). This is a much 

 rarer plant than the last, and is almost confined to the higher 

 mountains. The black berries have not much flavour, and in 

 large quantities are said to cause giddiness. 



The Red Whortle-berry, or Idaean Vine (V. vitis-idcea L.). 

 Of late years especially, these berries, which in North Scotland 

 are called Cran-berries (the true Cran-berry, V. oxycoccos, being 

 scarcely known), have come into such extensive use for making 

 a capital jelly or jam, that large quantities have been imported 

 from Norway, and meet with a ready sale. The chief supply of 

 Scotch-grown berries comes from the woods north of the Gram- 

 pians, where the dark shining evergreen leaves and clusters of 

 bright red berries make a beautiful carpet to the birch and pine 

 woods in autumn, as do the white rose-tinted flowers in early 

 summer. 



The Cran-berry ( V. oxycoccos L.), with its delicate wiry 

 stems creeping over the many coloured bog-mosses, its bright 

 rose-coloured petals so curiously rolled back, and the purplish- 

 red and spotted berries, can scarcely be esteemed a common 

 plant in Scotland, though in a few favoured spots it grows in 

 great abundance. Yet there is scarcely a mountain side, 

 I believe, where it does not grow, and where a close search 

 will not be rewarded. The berries have a peculiar flavour, 

 much esteemed by many people, and disliked by others. They 

 are especially used for making tarts, but it is chiefly with 

 American Cran-berries — which, though larger and finer looking 

 fruit, are yet inferior in flavour — that these are made. In some 

 parts of the south of Scotland and north of England, Cran- 

 berries grow in sufficient abundance as to allow of their being 

 brought to market. The cultivation of this plant has been 

 recommended, and it is said that a bed five feet square ought 

 to yield one quart of fruit — a profitable and easy method of 

 cultivating land otherwise of little use. 



(To be continued.) 



