l'J'4 Bulletin 145 



persistent as to deserve a place in any list of Vermont shrubs. 

 The common purple and white varieties belong to one European 

 species (S. vulgaris). The daintier persian lilac is also fre- 

 quently seen, and occasionally the less attractive josika lilac, as 

 well as others. 



NIGHTSHADE FAMILY. SOLANACEAE 



The word nightshade has an unsavory sound to most peo- 

 ple. While there are numerous poisonous plants among its mem- 

 bers, the deadly nightshade is largely the creation of the poet's 

 fancy. The cultivated tomato and potato are witnesses of the 

 economic worth of some of the group and there are several other 

 members much prized as garden vegetables or ornamental plants. 

 On the other hand the European belladonna and the common 

 wild nightshades of this country, especiallv the black nightshade, 

 have poisonous properties. Testimony differs, however, as to the 

 toxic effects of the black nightshade. Its berries are sometimes 

 and in some sections eaten with impunity, whereas in other cases 

 serious illness and even death has resulted from their ingestion. 

 It is possible that variations in individual susceptibilities as to 

 their solanin content, or, indeed, differences in such content due 

 to varying conditions of growth, may account for these diverse 

 observations. However, the only safe procedure is to treat the 

 nightshades as poisonous plants and especially to warn children 

 against eating the berries. 



CLIMBING NIGHTSHADE. Solamtm dulcaiuoro L.. 



This is a common vine in moist thickets, sometimes actually 

 growing in the water, at other times in relatively dry soil, as 

 nlong fence rows. It is also called bittersweet, but this name is 

 confusing since it is applied to another vine, the celastrus 

 described earlier. It is listed as an introduced plant, but it is 

 now so widely distributed as at least to appear like a native. It 

 is a perennial plant with weak stem, more or less woody at the 

 base but herbaceous above, clambering upon other shrubs or 



