THE BARBERRY IN IOWA 195 



"Epine-vinete." Later it was called sour-thorn, but this name has 

 never been as common as barberry. This great similarity of names 

 in the various languages proves that the plant was introduced propor- 

 tionately. Wettstein writes concerning the origin of the name that it 

 is derived from " the Arabian barberrys which signify the berries 

 of this bush ; or from Barberry in Africa where the Arabians first 

 found the plant, and brought it to Spain." Professor Buhl, whose 

 advice I have asked on this occasion, has willingly informed me that 

 he believes it is quite possible that the name is derived from the 

 Barbary States. , 



"This presentation of the introduction of the barberry bush, is 

 confirmed by the fact, that remains of the barberry have never been 

 found in antediluvian or other layers of .earth, and it is not men- 

 tioned in the earliest books on herbs. According to botany, it has a 

 characteristic common to most of the prominent medicinal plants, 

 that is, that it is very difficult for the barberries to disperse by them- 

 selves, and they grow very firmly where they once take root. E. 

 Henning has collected some information about the dispersement of 

 the barberry bush. He says the berries are destroyed by only a very 

 few birds and thus just when they can find no better food. Because 

 of its original nature as a mountain plant, it is known to take root 

 firmly in mountainous places. For this reason it is more common 

 in Norway and Sweden than in Denmark. It is also allowed to grow 

 undisturbed in the mountains. This encourages its growth there. 

 Of the many minerals found in the mountains, this plant prefers 

 limestone. For this reason it is found in great numbers on Moen's 

 Hill. 



"During the seventeenth century it was introduced into America 

 from Europe, the result being that laws prohibiting its growth were 

 passed in Connecticut, 1726, and in Massachusetts, 1755." 



The genus is widely distributed. Of the 160 species, a dozen are 

 credited to the United States ; thirty-three to Chili, forty-two more to 

 other part's of South America, of which Peru has twelve. Mexico 

 has fourteen, China and Japan thirteen, and the Himalayan region 

 of Europe and Siberia nine. The genus is therefore most largely rep- 

 resented in America from Chili to the southern Rockies, including 

 iexas. —* • 



During the seventies the discussion on hedge plants in the agri- 

 cultural and horticultural press as well as in the reports of the 

 State Horticultural and Agricultural Societies is quite voluminous. 

 The plants most frequently mentioned are the osage orange, white 

 willow, honev locust and buckthorn. The barberry, buffalo berry and 



