OUR NATIVE TREES AND SHRUBS. 43 



24a. Prunus Americana (Marsh). Wild Plum. 



A small thorny tree found throughout Ontario, but apparently less 

 common in the Laurentian districts. Its leaves resemble those of the 

 Cherries, but its coarse thorns and large edible fruit show it to be a 

 true Plum. It is sometimes planted for hedges. 



24b. Prunus pumila (L.). Dwarf Cherry. Sand Cherry. 



The smallest of our Cherries, and seldom more than a straggling shrub, 

 growing on sandy shores. It is plentiful on the islands of Lake Mus- 

 koka and on other waters of the district. The leaves may be known 

 by the fewness of the teeth, the pale lower surface, or by the charac- 

 teristic " cherry " taste. The fruit resembles that of the Choke-cherry. 



24c. Prunus Pennsylvania (L. ). Wild Red Cherry. Pin Cherry. Bird Cherry. 

 A very common little tree or shrub, growing rapidly in the poorest 

 soil. It shows a special fondness for land newly cleared or burned, 

 which, with the aid of the Poplars and the White Birch, it covers in a 

 very few years. 



24d. Prunus Virginiana (L. ). Choke-cherry. 



Usually a shrub, with obovate pointed leaves, very pale beneath. The 

 petiole generally bears two or more conspicuous glands on its upper 

 surface. The fruit is intensely astringent or "puckery " to the taste, 

 but is not despised by the omnivorous small boy. 



24e. Prunus serotina (Ehrh.). Wild Black Cherry. 



Our largest species, becoming a fine tree, and yielding valuable lumber. 

 The fruit is much more pleasant to the taste than that of any other 

 wild Cherry, and is used for making wine. The teeth of the leaves 

 are incurved, as in the Red Cherry, but are much less closely set. 



25a. Spircea salicifolia (L.). Common Meadow-sweet. 



Common in moist places, and quite a pretty shrub when crowned with 

 its spires of white flowers. 



25b. Mpircv. -a tomentosa (L. ). Hardhack. Steeple-bush. Downy Meadow-sweet. 

 Differs from the last in its very downy leaves and twigs and its pink 

 flowers, which have well earned for it the name of Steeple-bush. This 

 seems to be a northern form, and I have found it plentiful in the north 

 ern townships of Hastings and Peterboro' counties, as well as in 

 Muskoka. 



25c. Spir&a opulifolia (L.). Ninebark. 



A shrub found along the St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes, but 

 apparently not common in the interior of the Province. The old bark 

 loosens and separates in thin layers or strips. 



