63 FAMILIES OF GREATEST WORTH. 



much importance on account of the great value of many plants 

 which it contains. Here belong the pomes, such as apples, pears, 

 quinces, medlars, service berries ; and here are the drupes, such 

 as peaches, almonds, apricots, nectarines, plums, prunes, and 

 cherries. Here are found strawberries, red raspberries and black 

 raspberries, and blackberries. This may well be called the 

 *' fruit" family. There are also many choice flowers, including 

 the rose, potentilla, spiraea, hawthorn, and Japanese quince. 



The SaxifragacecB (Saxifrage Family) affords currants and 

 gooseberries, mock orange, deutzia, hydrangea, and saxifrage. 



The CucurhitacecB (Gourd Family) contains squashes, pumpkins, 

 melons, musk melons, gourds, and cucumbers. 



The Uml)elUfer(B (Parsley Family) includes the carrot, chervil, 

 celery, turnip-rooted celery, parsley, parsnip, caraway, coriander, 

 fennel, lovage, and sweet cicely. 



The CompositcB (Sunflower or Aster Family) is the largest 

 family of flowering plants, and contains about one-eighth of all 

 those in the United States. It affords a large number of weeds, 

 such as thistles, ox-eye daisy, rag-weed, May-weed, yarrow, fire- 

 weed, dandelion, burdock, cocklebur, flea-bane, and many more. 

 It contains a large number which are valuable for ornament, as 

 asters, zinnias, dahlias, feverfews, cinerarias, chrysanthemums, 

 and sunflowers. Considering the enormous size of the family, 

 about 10,000 species, we should expect something profitable in 

 the line of field and garden products. The best it can do is to 

 furnish lettuce, two kinds of artichokes, dandelion, salsify, chic- 

 ory, endive, and sunflower. There is not a fruit nor a valuable 

 vegetable, properly so-called, nor a good forage plant, so far as 

 we know, in the entire list. 



The Ericacece (Heath Family) is one of much interest to the 

 florist. It includes the cranberry, blueberry, huckelberry, rhft- 

 dodendron, azalea, laurel, heath, and trailing arbutus, or May- 

 flower. 



