The Service-berries 107 



flavour, are much sought after by certain birds on their return from the south in 

 the early spring. 



The western mountain ash is considered by some authorities a distinct species 

 (Pyrus sitchensis) and by others only a variety of the above. It has larger flowers 

 and fruit and a more westerly range, extending through the Rocky mountains to 

 Alaska. 



The wood of the mountain ash has no technical value but the berries are used 

 for medicinal purposes. 



THE SHADBUSHES OR SERVICE -BERRIES 



The shadbush or service-berry group (Amelanchier) is widely distributed 

 throughout the world. Most of the species are shrubs, but three of the native 

 species sometimes reach tree size. Two of them, the Amelanchier canadensis and 

 the Amelanchier obovalis, are eastern species which resemble each other very much 

 and ordinarily go by the same common name. The latter, however, owing to its 

 somewhat longer or narrower leaves, sometimes receives the name of ** longleaf '* 

 shadbush. The Amelanchier alnifolia is the western species. 



They have pretty, white flowers in spring and on that account are sometimes 

 used for ornamental planting. The fruit of all species is sweet, berry-like, and 

 edible. 



AMELANCHIER CANADENSIS (L.) Medic. SERVICE-BERRY 



Common names: Service-berry, shadberry, Juneberry, wild pear, 



lance wood*. 

 French names: Amelanchier du Canada, petites poires. 



The service-berry is a small tree 15 to 25 ft. high with a diameter of 4 to 8 in. 

 Sometimes it is found growing like a shrub with many stems in a clump. It in- 

 habits well-drained soils such as hillsides in open woods and, in Canada, is found 

 from Nova Scotia westward throughout the St. Lawrence valley to the north shores 

 of lake Superior, but is nowhere abundant. 



The smooth, close-fitting, greyish-brown bark might lead one to mistake it for 

 a young beech. The bark of the service-berry, however, is darker as a rule and on 

 young trunks is quite often streaked with dark, longitudinal lines. 



The winter buds, too, resemble those of the beech, being long, narrow, and sharp- 

 pointed, but they are pressed close to the stem and do not stand out at the wide 

 angle so characteristic of the beech buds. The bud scales are edged with white, 

 while those of the beech are not. They are also fewer in number. 



The finely- toothed, smooth-surfaced leaf, however, would never be mistaken 

 for the leaf of the beech. It resembles somewhat that of the pear but is of finer 

 texture. 



It is a conspicuous tree in the spring, when covered with its many white flowers. 

 The fruit is a dark, purple, edible, berry, about the size of a currant and ripens in July. 



