570 Descriptiofi of a new Fruit Tree, 



speci^sa, specibsa alba, caul6scens, and hirsilta ; and Besler/a 

 coccinea : any of which I should be glad to exchange with 

 any of your readers for species that they may have different 

 from the above. 



I remain, Sir, yours, &c. 

 Horsforth Hall, July 12. 1831. Thomas Appleby, 



We commend to the skill and reajard of our esteemed cor- 

 respondent the Trevirana coccinea, Cyrillfl pulchella that was. 

 This plant, in its scaly, succulent, tuberous propagines (organs 

 of increase), in its annual herbage, opposite foliage, beauty of 

 blossoms, and their paucity under common culture, assimilates 

 to Gloxinm maculata, and in some points to other of the 

 Gesnhrecc. One mode of culture, which has produced 

 numerous blossoms, is noticed (p. 605.) in our extracts from 

 the Horticultural Register. Another successful mode of cul- 

 tivating the Gloxin/a maculata is given by Mr. Nelson, 

 Vol. III. p. 141. In that communication the word printed 

 "flowers" should be flower stems. — J. D. 



Art. VIII. Description of a neiv Fruit Tree, the Shepherdia. 

 arg^ntea. By J. B. Russell, Esq. 

 Sir, 



Permit me to introduce to the notice of j'our readers a 

 beautiful production of North America (which, 1 think, is but 

 little known to Europeans), called the Missouri Silver Leaf, 

 or Buffalo Berry tree (Shepherd/a* argentea). It is also 

 called by the Indians Rabbit Berry, and the Beef Suet tree. 

 The French traders call it Graisse de Buffle, or Buffalo Fat. 



Mr. Nuttall, the intelligent curator of the botanic garden 

 at Harvard University, has given the following description of 

 this species : — " Small spinescent trees, with the aspect of 

 i)laeagnus ; leaves entire, covered with silvery scales ; flowers 

 small, laterally aggregated ; berries diaphanous, scarlet, plea- 

 santly acid ; leaves oblong ovate, obtuse, petiolate, on both 

 sides smooth, and covered with peltate scales, which (through 

 a lens) appear ciliated. Male flowers divided to the base, 

 segments sub-ovate, obtuse, externally squamose, like- the 



With us it appears to require tlie stove : it grows to the height of G or 7 ft., 

 and flowers in July and August. It maybe increased by cuttings, or some- 

 times by dividing the roots ; the soil should be loam and peat." [Heath- 

 mould, see p. 285.] 



* In honour of Mr. John Shepherd, curator of the botanic garden at 

 Liverpool. 



