HACKBERRY 



(Celtis Occidentalis} 



HACKBERRY is a common name for this tree in nearly all parts of 

 its range, but it has other names. It is sometimes confused with 

 sugarberry (Celtis mississippiensis). They call it nettle tree in Rhode 

 Island, Massachusetts, Delaware, and Michigan, and in Tennessee it is 

 known as American nettle-tree. In Vermont it is hoop ash ; in Rhode 

 Island one-berry; hack- tree in Minnesota, and juniper tree hi New 

 Jersey. 



The name hackberry is not of American origin. It dates far back 

 in the languages of western Europe and is believed to have the same 

 origin as the word haw, which, hi its turn meant hedge. If that 

 etymology is correct, the word really means hedge berry, which is not an 

 inappropriate name for the tree. The name is sometimes applied to a 

 small bird cherry hi Europe. The new Jersey name juniper-tree is hi 

 recognition of the resemblance of the berries to those of red cedar or red 

 juniper. No reason has been assigned for the name nettle-tree. 



Its range covers about 2,000,000 square miles in the United 

 States besides part of Canada. It grows from the Atlantic on the coast 

 of New England to the tide water of the Pacific on Puget sound; in 

 southern Florida and hi Texas. It is not found in pure stands, but 

 often as single trees far apart. This is the case in the northeastern part 

 of the United States hi particular where probably not more than one 

 tree might be found in a whole county. Frequently the people hi the 

 neighborhood do not know what the tree is, and suppose it is the last 

 representative on earth of some disappearing species. 



It is far from being a disappearing tree. Not only is it widely 

 dispersed over the United States, but related species are scattered 

 through many countries of the old world, from Denmark to India. 

 There are said to be between fifty and sixty species, only two of which 

 are hi the United States. 



It has been claimed by scholars that the lotus referred to by ancient 

 writers was the hackberry. It was reputed to cause forgetfulness when 

 eaten, but the claim was fictitious, for the fruit does not produce that 

 effect. It is not now regarded as human food. Tennyson deals with 

 the fiction very beautifully hi the poem "Lotus Eaters," but he took 

 liberties with botany when he represented fruit and flowers on the same 

 branch; for, though the berries hang several months, they drop before 

 the next season's flowers appear. 



The hackberry belongs to the elm iamily, being of the same relation 



403 



