PLANTS. 275 



Shrubs either unarmed or spiny; bearing berries; 

 known as currants and gooseberries. Natives of North 

 temperate zone. 



The Red Currant (Ribes rubrum). This shrub has 

 five-lobed, blunt leaves ; flower flat, hanging in clusters, 

 bearing round red berries of an acid, but pleasant taste. 



The White Currant is a variety of the red ; larger 

 and sweeter. Grows and thrives well in shady places, 

 wherefore it is often planted in hedges. A handsome 

 shrub, common in southern latitudes in woods and 

 hedges. A very pleasant wine is made from the ex- 

 pressed juice, which latter, boiled with sugar into jelly, 

 is considered very suitable to be used in fevers. ^. 



The Black Currant (Ribes nigrum). Leaves five- 

 lobed, sprinkled on both sides with yellowish, resinous 

 dots ; grows in shady woods, on the margin of brooks ; 

 often planted in gardens. The fruit and berries have a 

 peculiar odor that is not pleasant to some persons ; nev- 

 ertheless, the juice makes good wine. T?. 



The Gooseberry (Ribes grossularia), De Cand., Var- 

 sativum. This well known bush has leaves obtusely 

 rounded, three and five-lobed; from two to four feet 

 high ; branches very thorny. Fruit a white or- red 

 berry as large as a hazel-nut, or even larger ; pulpy, 

 and filled with small seeds. Eaten as fruit, or prepared 

 in preserves or pastries for the table. Much cultivated 

 in England, where wine is made from the juice, h. 



Cactacea. The Cactus family succeeds the Ribes, 

 according to the regular order, and are distinguished 

 particularly by having no stem on which the leaves are 

 sustained, but the latter, hard, fleshy and prickly, grow 

 out from each other; and thus, when the leaves are 

 strong enough, form an upright shrub; if the contrary. 



