618 WILD AND UNCLASSIFIED FRUITS. 



STRAWBERRY-RASPBERRY. 



Rubus rosafolius. Commonly supposed to be a hybrid of the 

 two fruits whose diphthongue name it bears. It is, however, a 

 distinct species from the Himalayas. It is one of the most 

 beautiful of fruits. The berries resemble an enormous rasp- 

 berry, from one inch to an inch and a half in diameter. The 

 plant is slender, branched, about two feet high, the stems 

 armed from enci to end with the sharpest spines. It is utterly 

 worthless to eat, but the berry is so beautiful that it is well 

 worth cultivating for table decoration. It requires heavy clay 

 soil. When started, it is difficult as a weed to keep within 

 bounds. Entirely hardy up to latitude 42. 



JAPANESE WINEBERRY. 



Rubus phcenicolasius. The English name gives its native 

 habitat. The canes grow from ten to fifteen feet long, root- 

 ing, and thus propagating itself, from their tips. These 

 canes are thickly covered with very conspicuous purplish- 

 red hairs. Leaves five to seven inches long, simple or tri- 

 foliate ; leaflets crenate, serrate, downy white on the under side. 

 The flowers are pinkish-white; the fruit is similar to other 

 small raspberries, of a lively scarlet ; flavor sprightly, sub- 

 acid, very refreshing. Birds, especially robins and cat birds, 

 are so fond of them that it is hardly possible to gather any 

 quantity, even from a pretty large bed. It is worth cultiva- 

 tion simply for ornament, and is entirely hardy. 



