THE SUNBERRY 297 



children in large quantities when not fully ripe, 

 although fairly palatable when cooked. 



The stubbleberry in one or another of its 

 varieties has been used for cooking, in all coun- 

 tries where it grows, when fruit is scarce, chiefly 

 to make pies, as well as for canning. But it is 

 necessary to have the fruit fully ripen; which is 

 often accomplished in cold climates by spreading 

 the berries thinly on shelves and allowing them 

 to mature slowly. 



In some regions, as in the Dakotas, the bushes 

 are pulled and hung in the cellar, the fruit being 

 used from time to time as it ripens. 



In France the young shoots of this plant are 

 used as a green vegetable, and the plant is even 

 advertised in French catalogues. 



The "garden huckleberry," however, differs 

 considerably from the ordinary French stubble- 

 berry, the fruit being much larger in size but far 

 inferior in flavor. It is, however, more nearly 

 free from poisonous qualities, notwithstanding 

 its vile taste. 



The differences between the plants themselves 

 are marked, the Solanum guinense being, as 

 already noted, a rather heavy shrub, while 

 Solanum nigrum, though varying considerably, 

 is usually a slender plant. It may be said, how- 

 ever, that both of these species, like most other 



