CALIFORNIA WILD BERRIES AND CURRANTS 39 



Wild Strawberries (Fragaria sp.). We have in California two 

 Eastern species : Fragaria vesca and F. Virginiana. Thus far these 

 have only been reported from localities in the Sierra mountain 

 region. Another, the sand strawberry, has been found identical with 

 a South American species, Chilensis, and it occurs along the coast, 

 where the fruit is esteemed, and is sometimes abundant enough to 

 gather in quantity. A fourth species, wood strawberry, is local, and 

 is named Californica. It bears a small round fruit and is partial to 

 the coast region. Recently some cultural attention has been given 

 to the wild strawberries, and varieties worthy of propagation have 

 been reported by growers resident in the Sierra region. Mr. Albert 

 F. Etter of Ettersburg, Humboldt county, has secured notable re- 

 sults in crossing with the wild strawberry, as will be noted in the 

 chapter on that fruit. 



Wild Gooseberries and Currants (Ribes sp.). Some of our 

 currant species are achieving quite a reputation abroad as orna- 

 mental shrubs, but they bear insipid fruit. The fruit of Ribes tenui- 

 florum is, however, more agreeable, and is esteemed for jellies, etc., 

 by dwellers in its region, which is the mountain region of the ex- 

 treme north of the State. We also have a species (bracteosum) 

 which has something of the black currant flavor and a fair-sized fruit, 

 black with whitish bloom, and very sweet. 



There are also several species of Ribes which are classed with 

 the gooseberries, but only three bear edible fruit. One of these 

 (Ribes divaricatum) is peculiar to this coast; another (Ribes Roe- 

 zlii) occurs at middle elevations in the Sierra Nevada. The berries 

 are small to medium, of pleasant flavor, and well armed with spines. 

 Another species (Ribes leptanthum), common in San Luis Obispo 

 and Kern counties, resembles the flavor of the cultivated gooseberry, 

 and is free from spines. 



Cranberries and Huckleberries (Vaccinium sp.). We have sev- 

 eral species belonging to the same botanical genus as the Eastern 

 cranberry, but quite different from it both in growth of the plant 

 and character of fruit. The fruit of two species is reddish, but in- 

 sipid. Other species (V. ovatum, etc.) have dark blue or purple 

 fruit. Some of these are locally esteemed, and the argument drawn 

 from them is that the cranberry of commerce would succeed. It 

 should be stated, however, that the situations in which these plants 

 thrive are not at all according to the requirements of the bog cran- 

 berry. A huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum) is largely gathered in 

 the redwood region of Northern California, for canning and pie- 

 making. The berries are juicy and delicious, and the preserved fruit 

 has a very agreeable flavor. In one year as many as two thousand 

 boxes were profitably gathered on the hills of western Sonoma 

 county. 



Other Berries. There are many small, wild fruits commonly 

 designated as berries, which are of considerable botanical interest. 

 The fruit, too, may be said to be edible, judging by the taste of In- 

 dians, birds, and wild beasts, but not likely to be much more than 



