502 BUSH-FRUITS 



ing or planting any blueberry or huckleberry plants.* The Massa- 

 chusetts Horticultural Society awarded a silver medal to Benjamin 

 G. Smith for introducing the dwarf Juneberry into that state, t 

 and it is interesting to note that his plants were obtained from 

 Davenport, Iowa, whence it was being so widely boomed as huckle- 

 berry or blueberry. The Juneberry itself thrives well throughout 

 the West, especially the western species, Amelanchier alnifolia. 



It is hard to prophesy regarding the future of the Juneberry, 

 but it will probably rank much higher in the estimation of growers 

 than at present. It thrives throughout the entire country, being 

 especially promising upon the Plains, where many of our bush 

 fruits do not well succeed. One point of great importance is its 

 ability to endure late spring frosts without injury. On this point 

 one grower saysrj "Frosts that killed potato tops to the ground 

 had no effect in destroying even a portion of this wonderful 

 plant's product, even though the frost came as late as the middle 

 of May." The fruit is mild, sweet and pleasant. It lacks char- 

 acter and sprightliness as a table fruit, but this defect is readily 

 overcome by adding a few currants, cherries or gooseberries, 

 which are available at the same season of the year. To be at its 

 best it should be used when perfectly fresh, for it suffers much in 

 flavor by standing. This may prevent it from becoming popular 

 as a market berry. In fact, it ought to be primarily a home 

 berry. It is so easily grown, and the plants themselves are so 

 attractive that it may well find place in any home garden, how- 

 ever small. 



One grave obstacle stands in the way of its successful culture. 

 Every bird in the region will be there to help harvest the fruit. 

 Only two remedies are apparent either grow more Juneberries 

 than the birds can hold, or plant but few, in close clumps, and 

 protect them with netting. Benjamin G. Smith reports having 

 been able to keep the birds away by scarecrows, which were 

 changed in position two or three times a day. Experience with 



* Trans. Iowa Hort. Soc., 1877:203. 

 tGardener's Monthly, 1878 : 306. 

 jNebr. State Hort. Soc. Kept., 1896:197. 

 ^Gardener's Monthly, 1878:306. 



