Vermont Shrubs and Woody Vines 95 



tapering to base and apex, sharp pointed and sharply toothed 

 toward the apex. The fruit is a small, dark red cherr}^ nearly 

 black when ripe, one-third to one-half inch in diameter, with 

 flesh thin, acid and rather astringent, scarcely edible. This is 

 sometimes planted in parks to cover rocky banks. 



APp.\L.\CHiAN CHERRY. Pntiiits cuHcata Raf. 



This differs from the preceding in uprightness of habit, in 

 larger flowers and in leaf relatively shorter and broader with a 

 more rounded apex. It has been found in Vermont in only a 

 few places on sandy soils in the vicinity of Burlington. 



HARDHACK. SPIRAEA. 



This name "hardback" is applied rather loosely to several 

 plants in Vermont, but to most New England farmers it suggests 

 the commonest of the shrubby pasture weeds, also known as 

 steeple-bush. There are two native species of spiraea growing 

 intermingled and scarcely distinguished in the popular mind. 

 Both come under the opprobrious name of hardback, so that for 

 differentiation in Vermont the names steeple-bush and meadow- 

 sweet serve best. The Siberian spiraea (Sorbaria sorbifolia) 

 with it-s large showy panicles of white flowers and mountain- 

 ash-like leaves is frequent about old gardens and will probably 

 be recognized in most cases without a key. The two native 

 species may be at once distinguished as follows : 



Young shoots and lower leaf surfaces rusty downy Steeple-bush. 



Shoots and leaves nearly or quite smooth Meadow sweet. 



