EOSE FAMILY. 131 



10. CRAT^E'GUS, L. HAWTHORN. 



[Greek, Kratos, strength ; in allusion to he strength or firmness of the wood.] 



Calyx-tube urceolate ; limb 5-cleft. Petals 5. Stamens numerous. Styles 

 1-5. Fruit fleshy or somewhat farinaceous, containing 1-5 bony 

 1-seeded carpels. Thorny shrubs or small trees. Leaves alternate, simple, 

 often incised or lobed. Flowers mostly in terminal corymbs. 



1. C, Crus-gal'li, L. Leaves obovate-cuneate or lance-oblong, serrate, 

 coriaceous, smooth and shining, subsessile ; styles 1 - 3 ; fruit somewhat 

 pyriform. 



COCK-SPUR CRATJEGUS. Cockspur Thorn. New Castle Thorn. 



Stem 10-15 or 20 feet high, much branched, and armed with sharp tapering thorns 2 

 to near 3 inches in length. Leaves 1-2% inches long, on short petioles. Corymbs termi- 

 nal on short rigid spurs. Petals white. Fruit middling sized, reddish brown when mature. 



Thickets, fence rows, hedges, &c.: Canada to Florida. Fl. June. Fr. October. 



Obs. This shrub of which there are two or three pretty distinct va* 

 rieties is, in my opinion, the best adapted for hedging, of any of the 

 genus. Properly treated, it makes a durable and effective hedge. But 

 until timber shall become scarce, very few farmers will take the requisite 

 pains to insure a complete hedge, and without such care it is worse than 

 labor lost to make such an attempt. In the language of Mr. MCMAHON'S 

 excellent " American Gardener's Calendar" referring to the hedging ex- 

 periments of negligent, slovenly farmers : " I would advise such to hold 

 fast by the post and rail, and not to lose time in doing more hurt than 

 good." 



2. Ci corda'ta, Alt. Leaves deltoid-ovate and sub-cordate at base, 

 incised-serrate and somewhat 3-lobed, smooth, on slender and rather long 

 petioles ; styles 5 ; fruit depressed globose. 



CORDATE CRAT.EGUS. "Washington Thorn. Virginia Thorn. 



Stem 15-20 feet high, much branched, and armed with slender tapering sharp thorns 1 

 to near 3 inches in length. Leaves 2-3 inches long, often 3-lobed like a leaf of the Red 

 Maple Corymbs terminating the young slender short branches. Petals white. Styles 

 more or less united. Fruit small, bright reddish purple when mature. 



Banks of streams : Virginia to Georgia. Fl. June. Fr. October, 



Obs. This species is the one which has been chiefly cultivated for 

 hedging, in Pennsylvania where it was introduced, from the vicinity of 

 Washington City, about the commencement of the present century. It 

 makes a handsome hedge, but not a very substantial one ; and, in my 

 opinion, is decidedly inferior to the Cockspur Thorn, for that purpose. 

 I have used it extensively ; but have found it so subject to be broken 

 into gaps, by thoughtless or reckless trespassers, that my hedges have 

 been rather a source of vexation than of satisfaction. 



3. C. oxyacan'tha, L. Leaves cuneate-obovate, cut-lobed, often trifld j 

 styles 1 - 3 ; fruit ovoid, small. 



SHARP-THORNED CRAT^GUS. Hawthorn. English Thorn. 



