78 ARCTOSTAPHYLCS UVA-URSI. BEAR-BERRY. 



Europe for dyeing gray and black, and for tanning the finer 

 kinds of leather. 



The botanical relationship of the Bear -Berry is with the ^r- 

 buhis, from which it is distinguished by having but a single bony 

 seed in a cell. Indeed it was known as Arbutus Uva-ursi by 

 the older botanists, — those wlio may be familiar with the true 

 Arbutus \\A\\ readily recognize the similarity of the flowers, — 

 and it is almost to be regretted that it has not been kept in thi^ 

 genus for the sake of the many poetic associations connected 

 with the Arbutus Uncdo, which has given the popular character 

 to the family name. 



" Glowing bright 

 Beneath the various foliage, wildly spreads 

 The arbutus, and rears his scarlet fruit 

 Luxuriant mantling o'er the craggy steeps." 



This description of the true straw berry tree, " Arbutus," cer- 

 tainly fits our Bear- Berry much better than it does the Epigcra 

 repens, to w^hich our people, determined to connect our flora in 

 some way with European memories, have given the name of 

 " Trailing Arbutus," although it has no berry at all. The Bear- 

 Berry has, however, an association with Indian history, as it is the 

 " Kinnikinnick " of the Western races, who smoke it, and believe 

 the practice secures them from malarial fevers. Still, it is al- 

 most a pity that the name of " Trailing Arbutus " has been given 

 to the Epigcea rcpms, for, as the Bear- Berry is so nearly an 

 Arbutus, and of a perfectly trailing habit, it would be much more 

 applicable to it ; but perhaps, if flowers have the affections poets 

 sometimes attribute to them, it was generous in this plant to 

 give up, or rather lay no claim to the name, as whatever might 

 be its own legitimate rights, it is so universally known as the 

 Bear-Berry that it has no great need of the other. The ber- 

 ries are indeed the most striking feature of the plant. The 

 chief resemblance to the real Arbutus is in its beautiful white, 

 shinincr, wax-like flowers. The buds are formed towards the 



