Over the HucKleberry Plains 



119 



is from six to fifteen inches in height, and produces our 

 earliest market blueberries or huckleberries. The late 

 Dwarf Low Blueberry ripens late in July, 



The giant bushes in the swamp were laden with both 

 green and ripe fruit. The cadet-blue berries hanging 

 side by side with the soft velvety crimson-purple fruit 

 of Shad-trees {Amclanchier Canadensis) made a pretty 

 dash of color among the rich greens. Most country 

 lads are familiar with the mountains at this season, and 

 to go " shad-berrying " is one of their pleasures. In 

 Pownal one hears of shadberry pies and cakes with 

 happy anticipations. 



These berries are fresh and sweet, eaten direct from 

 the bending branches, but they become as bitter as 

 medicine after being gathered for any length of time. 

 Their white flowers often appear early in April and 

 May, and brighten the waste places along with the 

 Pigeon Cherry blossoms,— better known as Wild Red 

 Cherries {Prumis Pen7isylvanicd). The flowers of the 

 latter tree are also white, producing small light red 

 cherries, which delighted flocks of returning pigeons 

 before their extermination. The generic name Prunus 

 is the Latin for plum or prune, derived from the Greek 

 for all species commonly known as Sloes, Bullies, and 

 Snags. The species of Prunus and Amelanchier are 

 members of the Rose Family, as their miniature rose- 

 blossoms indicate. 



The original designations of huckleberry, or whortle- 

 berry, are also of ancient derivation. The species of 

 Vaccinium were known to Virgil under the title of 



