344 



Johnson and Sowerbj, I.e., mention that they are collected 

 and eaten by the peasantry in Ireland and L, H. Grindon in 

 *' Fruits and Fruit-trees/ '^ says that they are sometimes used in 

 Spain and Corsica for the manufacture, b}' distillation, of a simple 



wine. 



Bearberry {Arctostaphylos Uva-tirsiy Spreng.). — This trailing 

 shrub is found wild in the Highlands of Scotland and is common, 

 throughout the Jforthern Hemisphere. The berries do not appear 

 to have been used for human food though they are eagerly eaten 

 by grouse and other birds. 



Bilberry, Blueberry, Whinberry, Hurtleberry, Whortleberryr 



— These names are applied to the fruit of a low-growing shrub; 

 Vaccinixim MyrtilhiSy L., widely distributed in the IN'orthern 



Hemisph 



The small blue- 



black berries are ripe in July and August and are used for pies, 

 puddings, jams, jellies and other culinary purposes. They have 

 also been used as a dye. The red fruits of another native species, \ 

 y. Vitis-idaea, L., commonly called the cowberry, can be used in 

 a similar manner and the fruits of exotic species are also edible. 



Cranberries {Oxy coccus macrocarpiis, Pers., and 0. palustris, 

 Pers.). — The first-named is a native of 'N. America and the other 

 one is widely distributed through the IS'ortliern Hemisphere. The 

 fruits of one or both species are sold by most fruiterers and are 

 used for tarts and j^Uy* 



^ _ t 



Dogwood Berries.— Jolinsoii and So\\-eiby, I.e., say tliat excel- 

 lent oil adapted for domestic purposes, especially for burning in 

 lamps, is obtained from tbe common dog>;\'Ood, Cormis sanguinea, 

 L.,.and London, I.e., gives tlie yield of oil as 34 pounds of oil to 

 100 pounds of fruit. The latter also says that tlie fruits of tlie 

 Cornel,^ C. Mas, L., were in liis time used on the Continent for 

 confectionery, marmalades, robs and liqueurs, also mixed with 

 apples and pears for making cider; treated like green olives they 

 formed a pickle and in a ripe state an oil was obtained from them. 

 The fruits of C. capitafa, AVall., are said to be eaten in the Hima- 

 laya, but they are not used in this country. 



Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamn'oides, L.).— Althougli the 

 berries of this shrub are very disagreeable to the taste they are 

 referred to as follows by Johnson and Sowerby, I.e. ''The 

 Siberians and Tartars make a jelly from the berries, and eat them 

 with milk and_ cheese, while the inhabitants of the shores of the 

 Gulf of Bothnia prepare from them an agreeable rob, which they 

 used as a condiment to their fish." An allied shrub, Elaeagnu.f 



flora, Thunb , ^^ __^ „,,,_, „_ „._„ 



times used for jam. 



.... ^ ^ ^ . , ^ ... . , 



Bay (Laurus nobiUs, L.).— Little use appears to have been made 

 of the fruits of this tree although they were at one time considered 



to possess medicinal properties of astringent and carminative 

 character. 



