HONEYSUCKLE FAMILY 



Later, the bushes stand bowed with the burden of 

 purple berries. People may be divided in opinion as 

 to the merits of the fruit ; the robins are not; with one 

 accord they call them good and seek them tunefully 

 and joyously. By way of domestic value, elderberries 

 have been used in pies and puddings, but they are not 

 sufficiently acid to be really palatable when used 

 alone. The fruit is also responsible for the domestic 

 elderberry wine, which certainly cheers and does not 

 inebriate and is reputed to possess medicinal properties. 



There is a golden-leaved variety which is very ex- 

 tensively planted ; and which in midsummer lights up 

 the fence corner or garden walk with a golden glow 

 that is extremely effective amid the surrounding green. 



MOUNTAIN ELDER. RED-BERRIED ELDER 



Sambhcus pubens. Sambitcus raccmbsa. 



A shrub two to twelve feet high, twigs and leaves pubescent; 

 the younger stems full of reddish brown pith ; found in rocky 

 places and in dry woods. Ranges from New Brunswick to Brit- 

 ish Columbia and Alaska, south to Georgia, southwest to Colo- 

 rado and California. 



Stems. Young stems pale, dotted with many brownish lenti- 

 cels ; older stems brown, having a rough and warty appearance. 



Leaves. Opposite, pinnately compound ; leaflets ten to four- 

 teen, oblong-lanceolate or oval, three to five inches long, nar- 

 rowed and often bilateral at base, sharply serrate, acuminate at 

 apex ; midvein and primary veins depressed above, prominent 

 beneath ; they come out of the bud pale green, shining and 

 downy, when full grown are dark green, nearly smooth above, 

 paler green and downy below. In autumn they remain late and 

 fall with little change of color. Petioles reddish and grooved. 

 Small red glands appear at the base of each petiole and at the 

 base of some petiolules. 



266 



