176 The Ottawa Naturalist.- [Mar. 



Grape) will not thrive in Manitoba; its fruit buds are usually 

 killed by frost in the spring. 



Rubus idaeus aculeatissimus, formerly Rubus strigosus, (Wild 

 Red Raspberry) grows very far north. Rubus occiJentalis (Black 

 Raspberry) does not range far north. Cultivated varieties are 

 not hardy at Ottawa. These two species hybridize, giving a 

 form known- as R. neglectus, the fruit of which is larger than that 

 of either of the original species. The Blackberry has not a wide 

 range. It does not grow in Manitoba. In British Columbia 

 there is a raspberry known as the Salmon Berry, Rubus spectabilis, 

 for which one has to acquire a taste. Rubus triflonts is a low- 

 growing form and its fruit is a red berry with a delicious flavour 

 R. Chamaembrus has a very seedy berry for which a taste has 

 to be acquired. 



Currant Ribes hudsonianum grows as far north as latitude 

 5 7 and R. floridum (Wild Black Currant) as far as latitude 54, 

 while R. lacustre (Swamp Black Currant) runs almost to the 

 Arctic Circle. The Missouri Currant grows in southern Alberta 

 and is quite hardy. 



The gooseberries mentioned were Ribes oxyacanthoides 

 (Smooth Gooseberry) and Ribes Cynosbati (Spring Gooseberry) . 



Blueberry These were represented by Vaccinium penn- 

 sylvanicum, but there are several species which produce good 

 fruit. These do not grow on sweet soil; they require -acid soil. 

 This explains why attempts to grow them have often been un- 

 successful. 



Cranberry Cranberries are cultivated in Nova Scotia and 

 Prince Edward Island. They grow in bog land. The main 

 difficulty is to prevent freezing. Vaccinium oxycoccus remains 

 under the snow in good condition and is therefore a valuable 

 species. 



Viburnum Opulus, var. americanum is a high bush form 

 growing in the western provinces. Its fruit is substituted for 

 cranberries and used chiefly for jellies v 



Juneberry- -This fruit is appreciated in the prairie pro- 

 vinces. Amelanchier alnifolia grows in the west and Amelanchier 

 anadensis abounds in Ontario. 



Strawberry The strawberrv grows almost to the Arctic 

 Circle. Two species were mentioned Fragaria virgin tana and 

 /'. chiloensis, the latter of which grows from Alaska to South 

 America and from it originated the English strawberry. 



There are many of our wild fruits which have delicious 

 flavour and many others which by improvement can be developed 

 into fruits quite as fine and valuable as those we now value most. 



J. R. F. 



