VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



179 



hackberry ( nettletree ) . Celtis occidenlalis Linn. 



The hackberry is one of the rare trees of this state, occurring so far 

 as is known only sparingly in the river bottom lands of the Champlain 



valley and the southern 

 Connecticut valley. Its 

 berries are dark purple 

 when ripe and may re- 

 main on the tree all 

 winter. They are about 

 the size of peas, with a 

 sweet flesh which is edi- 

 ble, and sought by the 

 birds. Its fine form 

 makes it a desirable 

 shade tree. 



It so closely resem- 

 bles the elms that it is 

 easily mistaken for one 

 of them and because of 

 this it is doubtless fre- 

 quently passed unnoticed 

 even-by botanists. 



HACKBERRY 

 Leaves and fruit, X H- 



MULBERRIES. 



The name mulberry is very commonly applied in Vermont to one of 

 the wild raspberries, which has a conspicuous rose-like blossom followed by 

 a reddish raspberry fruit. This shrub should be called the purple flowering 

 raspberry since the true mulberries are trees. Two species of mulberry 

 occur in Vermont ; of these, the red is native, and the white is introduced. 



The fruit of both is edible somewhat resembling that of the blackberry 

 in size and appearance. The leaves are heart-shape or ovate, often cut into 

 curiously irregular lobes so that no two leaves on a branch will be exactly 

 alike. This irregularity in leaf-form, together with the peculiar fruit, 

 makes the recognition of the mulberry easy. It is often difficult to distin- 

 guish the two species, however. The following key will aid in this : 



Leaves bright and smooth, mostly glossy above White Mulberry 



Leaves dull green, upper surface rough Red Mulberry 



