CRANBERRY. 57 



vated in England, France, Italy, and Spain, as also in other 

 parts of Europe ; these are increased by grafting or budding 

 in the usual methods, but the plants for coppice wood, or 

 timber, are best raised from nuts. Some varieties ripen their 

 fruit a few days earlier than others, but none of these have 

 been fixed on, or perpetuated by nurserymen, so as to ren- 

 der them available to purchasers. The fruit is a desirable 

 nut for autumn or winter, and is eaten roasted, with salt, and 

 sometimes raw ; arid in some countries it is not only boiled 

 and roasted, but ground into meal, and puddings, cakes, and 

 bread are made from it. 



CRANBERRY. 

 CANNEBERGE. Oxycoccus. 



THIS genus of plants is well distinguished from the Vac- 

 cininm, or Whortleberry, by the narrow revolute segments 

 of corolla ; arid are pretty little trailing evergreen plants, to 

 which a peat soil, and rather moist situations, are absolutely 

 necessary. They are very little changed by culture. 



The Oxycoccus macrocarpus is a red acid fruit, highly val- 

 ned as a sweetmeat, or for tarts. It is well known that this 

 excellent fruit grows in many parts of our country sponta- 

 neously ; and that the mere gathering of it, is all that boun- 

 tiful nature requires at our hands ; but it is well worth cul- 

 tivating where there are none. This fruit will keep a whole 

 year, if properly preserved in close covered stone jars, and 

 is considered by many as superior to the best currant jelly, 

 and may be kept for many months in a raw state without 

 injury. 



The Oxycoccus paluslris bears edible berries, which are 

 gathered wild both in England and Scotland, and made into 

 tarts. Lightfoot says, that twenty or thirty pounds' worth 

 are sold each market day, for five or six weeks together, in 

 the town of Langtown, on the borders of Cumberland. 



