Trees and Shrubs of Massachusetts. 221 



REVIEWS. 



Art. I. A Report on the Trees and Shrubs growing nat- 

 ural/}/ in the Forests of Massachusetts. Published, agree- 

 ably to an Order of the Legislature, by the Commissioners 

 on the Zoological and Botanical Survey of the State. 1 Vol. 

 8vo. pp. 547. Boston, Dutton and Wentworth, State Print- 

 ers. 1S46. 



[ Concluded from -page 185. ] 



The many fme native woody shrubs, and some of the more 

 delicate forest plants, or the useful medicinal ones, are duly 

 noticed in portions of the Report, with suggestive remarks. 

 In the opinion of Drs. Torrey and Gray, there is no essential 

 difference between our High Cranberry (Yiburnumopulus^ L.), 

 and the European Guelder Rose, a variety of which latter is 

 propagated by gardeners as the well known snow ball tree. 

 Some other fine species of Viburnum are thus closely related : 

 and, doubtless, experimental sowing of the seed might produce 

 as remarkable results as in the snow ball tree. And while on 

 the improvement of varieties by successive sowing of seed, we 

 are reminded of some very just and valuable remarks of this 

 Report on the subject of the Currant family : — 



" This family includes only one genus, which comprehends the Currants 

 and the Gooseberries. They are either spiny or unarmed shrubs, natives of 

 the mountains, hills, woods and thickets of the temperate regions of Amer- 

 ica, Europe and Asia, but unknown within the tropics, or in any part of 

 Africa. They are fouftd particularly about mountains. Most of the spe- 

 cies produce agreeable, refreshing, subacid fruits. The Black Currant, 

 Rihes nigrum, a native of Siberia and northern Europe, is cultivated for the 

 pleasant tonic and stimulant properties possessed by a jelly made of its ripe 

 fruit. The Red Currant, Riles rubrum, found wild in the mountainous 

 woods of Britain and other northern countries of Europe, and in the north- 

 ern part of America, and the White, which is a variety produced from this 

 by cultivation, are, in most places, justly valued for their uses in cookery, 

 as a dessert, and as affording a cooling and wholesome drink. The com- 

 mon Gooseberry, R. uva crispa or grossularia, a native of the same regions, 

 but hardly known in gardens on the continent of Europe, while the size and 

 richness of its fruit are the pride of English, especially Lancashire horti- 

 culture, is generally but rather unsuccessfully cultivated here for its use in 

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