NITROGEN-CONSUMING PLANTS 233 



Egg Plant (Solanum melongena). The fruit is a large, purple-skinned, 

 pear-shaped one used in the baked form or sliced and fried either with 

 or without bread-Grubs. 



Pepper (Capsicum annuum) . The fruit is red or green color and exists 

 in a number of varieties prized for their pungency. 



Fig (Ficus carica). The fig is cultivated to some extent in the southern 

 and southwestern United States and Mexico, where its fresh fruit may be 

 obtained. The cured and pressed figs are found on the fruit stands of all 

 large American cities. 



Mulberry (Morus alba, M. nigra, M. rubra). These trees are sometimes 

 cultivated for their multiple juicy fruits. 



Date (Phoenix dactylifera) . The finer varieties of date from the desert 

 regions of North Africa have been introduced recently into the United 

 States, where their cultivation in Arizona and southern California has 

 become an established fact. 



Persimmon (Diospyroz virginiana and D. kaki). The finer culti- 

 vated persimmons came to us from Japan, where the fruit is much relished. 



Currant (Ribes rubrum). This species includes all of the red and 

 white fruited currants. The black currant of Europe is R. nigrum, the 

 wild black currant of America is R. americanum and the flowering currant 

 R, aureum. 



Gooseberry (Ribes grossularia and Ribes oxyacantha). The first 

 named gooseberry is European with a rough hairy or prickly fruit, the 

 second species is American with a smooth fruit. 



Blackberry (Rubus nigrobaccus) . The tall stems of this plant are 

 armed with strong, hooked prickles. The plant grows in the eastern 

 United States and has sweet, aromatic fruit. 



Dewberry (Rubus trivialis and R. villosus}. The first species is south- 

 ern and the last grows in the north. Both have been introduced into 

 cultivation. 



Raspberry (Rubus occidentals and R. strigosus}. The first mentioned 

 species is the black raspberry and the second the red raspberry. Both 

 are native of America. 



Strawberry (Fragaria). Three species must be considered as the 

 cultivated ones. The early settlers in the eastern United States culti- 

 vated the wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana). Attempts have been 

 made to grow the European strawberry (Fragaria vescd), but it has been 

 limited. Most of our cultivated strawberries belong to the species, 

 F. chiloensis (Fig. 99). 



