357 



Gerard says, they formerly grew in Finch- 

 ley Wood, near Highgate, and on Hampstead 

 Heath. The red kind, which makes the fine 

 purple dye, is found abundantly in several 

 parts of Westmoreland, and the white whortle- 

 berries principally in Lancashire ; but most 

 of our northern hills abound with some of the 

 varieties. From their growing in high bleak 

 situations, they are often called wind-berries. 



I have never seen this shrub cultivated, 

 although it is more ornamental than many fo- 

 reign shrubs that are raised with great diffi- 

 culty. The berry, which is a size larger than 

 that of the juniper, is covered with a fine blue 

 powder, similar to the bloom of our finest 

 purple plums. 



There is also another species of heath-berry, 

 growing on the mountainous parts of the 

 northern counties, as well as in Scotland, on 

 which the heathcocks and grouse feed. 



There have been no less than fifteen va- 

 rieties of the whortle-berry brought into this 

 country from North America, between the 

 years 1761 and 1796. (Hortus Kewensis.) 



