FEBRUARY AND PLANT-LIFE STILL SLEEPS IN NORTHERN CLIMES 869 



upon it bunches of its beautiful, bright red, ovoid berries 

 the latter having been overlooked by the birds that are 

 fond of them, and are now in evidence of the plant's 

 hardiness ; these berries are of a rich dark green. 

 In turning, they first become a fine yellow, passing to a 

 deep orange, and finally to the brilliant scarlet noted above. 



BITTERSWEET BELONGS TO THE NIGHTSHADE FAMILY(SoIara- 

 ceae); RANK SCENTED VINES, THE FRUIT OF WHICH IS OFTEN 

 SAID TO BE EXTREMELY POISONOUS 



Fig. 2 Linnaeus designated this vine as Solatium dulcamara; its elegant, 

 red, ovoid berries are well known to us in the autumn. 



This vine is also known by the common names of 

 snake or scarlet berry ; blue bindweed ; nightshade ; 

 poison flower, and perhaps others. It would appear that the 

 reputation it once bore of being "deadly poisonous" has, 

 long ago, been exploded surely none of its near relatives 

 are, among which may be numbered the eggplant of our 

 gardens, as well as the tomato and potato. In Figure 2 

 are well shown some of its graceful purple flowers, with 

 their pointed, yellow centers. Often a few of these are 

 found in good shape on the vine at the same time when 

 the bunches of berries have assumed their gorgeous 

 scarlet skins. Note the curious form of the leaves of 

 this vine, with the little winglets near the base of each. 

 Often we find this vine growing on our fences, or even 

 upon some support or other in our backyards. Pro- 

 fessor Gray states that the derivation of the name 

 Solatium is not known, which, of course, applies to the 



scientific name of the entire Nightshade family the 

 Solanaceae; while others claim that it is derived from 

 solamen, consolation, solace, and so on, which has refer- 

 ence to the narcotic properties afforded by a number of 

 the tropical relatives of this vine; and the genus is one 

 containing an enormous number of species. The specific 

 name appears, without doubt, to be derived from dulcis, 

 sweet, and amaras, sour or bitter; for the juice of the 

 vine most assuredly produces the double impression 

 upon our sense of taste. 



The common garden Nightshade or Morel bears black 

 berries, the poisonous qualities of which have not been 

 fully disproved. Perhaps it is just as well not to test 

 this by chewing them and swallowing the juice. This 

 vine is the Solatium nigrum of the botanies, and it is 

 well-nigh cosmopolitan in its distribution. Its flowers 

 are white. We have another vine we call "bittersweet," 

 and it may be known in the autumn by its gorgeous 



THE ASTERS OF THE Compositae CONSTITUTE A VERY NUMER- 

 OUS, NOT TO SAY PUZZLING GROUP OR GENUS TO STUDY. 

 THEY HYBRIDIZE FREELY; BUT THERE APPEAR TO BE UP- 

 WARDS OF AN HUNDRED GOOD SPECIES OF THEM IN THE 

 ATLANTIC STATES ALONE 



Fig. 7 This is the common Purple Aster (Aster patens), also called the 

 Purple Daisy. The caterpillar is the one the children call the "black 

 bear." There is a triple-banded one like it deep chestnut and black. 

 They are the first species of larvae of this kind making their appear- 

 ance in the spring. 



yellow berries, which, when bursting open, have elegant 

 scarlet seeds. A bunch of thesfe is very decorative in a 

 vase indoors, and their lasting properties are truly 

 wonderful. 



During this month of February, we will find that 

 many plants have gone to seed, and a very interesting 

 one among these is the Angle-pod, here shown in Fig- 



