196 Mountain and Foi'est Rambles. 



significant, trivial name is attached in that of leatherwood ; 

 for what more leathery and pliantly tough than its smooth 

 bark, fit for sylvan thongs and strings. 



It were not surely necessary to say how charming a shrub 

 is the Lonicera ciliata, with its honeysuckle looking flowers ; 

 I will, however, venture a word on the merits of the Red 

 berried Elder, (^Sambucus pubens.) Would you see this gem 

 of native berries, climb some mountain ravine when it is in 

 full glory. Almost any one likes to see our common Cana- 

 dian Elder bush when in June it overtops our fence rows 

 and the borders of thickets with its large, flat, showy flowers, 

 or when later in the season it bends beneath its black purple 

 fruits. But far more rich are the blossoms of the Red berried 

 Elder, of a fleecy character, and of a convex or pyramidal 

 outline. And those scarlet berries — how they flash on my 

 mind as I recall the first time I saw them, and the subsequent 

 pleasure they have given ! 



The occurrence of Cornus florida, with its nobly honest, 

 open, white but slightly pink tinged blossoms, overhanging 

 some craggy, broken rock, just within the borders of a wood- 

 lot, awakens within us the remembrance of the song of the 

 birds, of the budding blue violets, and of the fall promise of 

 summer near at hand. He that is not transported at the 

 joyous purity of one of these elegant plants, is only fit to be 

 transported to parts unknown, far away from human sympa- 

 thies ! A true taste will secure a few of these charming 

 tree-like shrubs to one's pleasure grounds ; and their cultiva- 

 tion is easy and sure. Certain am I that I shall never forget 

 the impressions this shrub made on me when I saw it in 

 company with the American Crab, (Pyrus coronaria,) and 

 with the Red bud, (Cercis canadensis,) in the woods of Ohio ; 

 and how the voyager for scenery would regret its absence 

 should it not throw its fair snowy blossoms upon the rugged 

 and crested shores of the Hudson River, when vegetation 

 seems to be in rivalry with itself to exhibit its charms ! 



Do you admire some evergreen shrub, something that will 

 look richly green all through the year, after a long winter's 

 snow as well as in summer's prime ? Then take the Ameri- 



