194 Bulletin 145 



purplish-black color ; the leaves are of a rich green tint and 

 gracefully curved, rather large, margined vuith small sharp teeth 

 and tapering to an acute point. The flowers open in June in 

 large clusters, two to five inches broad. These, and the fruit 

 cluster following, terminate the shoots and are sessile, i. e. have 

 no extended common stem. The berries are the largest of this 

 group, oval, one-half of an inch or more in length, and are borne 

 in heavy clusters which often load the branches down with their 

 autumn weight. They pass through a rich scarlet to a shining 

 bluish-black with a bloom when ripe. The fruit is sweet and 

 edible, and is better after being touched by frost. The foliage 

 shows fine autumn tints. Altogether this is to be rated as one 

 of the most attractive of our native shrubs for large decorative 

 effects in landscape planting. 



