LIST OF TREES AND SHRUBS. 303 



the 50th parallel. G. ? myrsinites has hitherto been found on 

 the declivities of the Rocky Mountains only between the 52nd 

 and 57th parallels. Mr. Drumraond says, that its small herries 

 have a delicious pine-apple flavour. The plant was cultivated 

 in the Botanic Garden at Glasgow, but I have not heard that 

 it produced fruit there. G. skallon is an Oregon plant growing 

 between Cape Mendocino and Paget Sound, but not extending 

 inland more than a hundred miles from the sea-coast. Epigcea 

 repens, ground laurel, or trailing Arbutus, inhabits sandy and 

 rocky woods in the northern states, Canada, Nova Scotia, New- 

 foundland, and Rupert's Land, as far north as the Saskatchewan. 

 Arbutus menziesii and A. tomentosa inhabit Oregon north- 

 wards to Puget Sound ; but no true Arbutus has been detected 

 on the east side of the Rocky Mountains. Arctostaphylos 

 vva-ursi, bear-berry, is common to Europe and America, and 

 descends from the Arctic Sea-coast to Rainy Lake and the rocks 

 and hills of the Northern Sates. It crosses the continent to 

 the valley of Oregon, where the Chenook Indians mix its dried 

 leaves with tobacco. It is used for the same purpose by the 

 Crees, who call it Tchakashe-pukk ; by the Chepewyans, who 

 name it Kleh ; and by the Eskimos north of Churchill, by whom 

 it is termed Attung-d-wi-at. On account of the Hudson's Bay 

 officers carrying it in bags for a like use, the voyagers gave it 

 the appellation of Sac-a-commis. On the north-west coast, 

 Mertens found it at Sitka, and it doubtless extends along the 

 whole coast. Its dry farinaceous berry is utterly inedible. A. 

 alpina, alpine bearberry, though a herbaceous plant, may be 

 mentioned with the others : it is also European. In the United 

 States the only habitat given is the Alps of New Hampshire ; 

 but it grows at a much lower altitude in Newfoundland and 

 Canada. It was found by Drummond on the Rocky Mountain 

 ridge, and is very common on the barren grounds beyond the 

 woody district, and along the whole arctic coast to Kotzebue 

 Sound. There are two varieties, one with bright red and more 

 juicy fruit ; the other, having a dark purplish-black berry, of 

 more fleshy consistence, and a stronger peculiar flavour. Both 

 are eaten in the autumn ; and, though not equal to some of the 



