114 



DESCRIPTIVE BOTANY. 



Geographij. — The geographical distribution of the Rubus is very broad. It 

 grows well in the temperate zone, between 30° and 50° latitude in North 

 America, and the belt extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans. In 

 Europe it is found as far north as the 60th parallel, and extends to the northern 

 parts of Africa, and from Asia Minor west to the British islands, and east- 

 ward into India. It is said to be found in Japan, but it is supposed to have 

 been carried there by Europeans. 



Etymology. — Rubus, the generic name of the raspberry, is derived from 

 the Celtic word rub, signifying red, Latin ruber. The specific name strigosus 



is a Latin word, which means scraggy, 

 or meager, relating to the small size of 

 the plant. The specific name occidentah's 

 means western. The name Idceus, is 

 from Mount Ida, where it is believed this 

 species had its origin. Raspberry comes 

 from the Italian word raspo, rough, on 

 account of the roughness of the stem and 

 leaves ; it is also called raspis in Scotland 

 for the same reason. 



The IdcEus is the cultivated plant in 

 Europe, and was brought to North 

 America by European colonists. 



History. — There is no record to show 

 when the raspberry was first brought 

 under cultivation or when it was carried 

 into Europe, but its value as a food-plant 

 must have drawn attention to it at a very 

 early period of man's civilization. The 

 seed of the raspberry is said to have been 

 found in the hands of mummies, which 

 points to great antiquity in its use. 



Use. — The raspberry is a favorite des- 

 sert fruit. It has a deliglitful perfume, 

 and a subacid taste agreeable to most 

 palates. 



It ripens just at the end of the straw- 

 berry period, and thus prolongs the early 

 fruit season. It is used for jams, rasp- 

 berry vinegar or wine, for syrup to flavor 

 soda water and other drinks. It is largely 

 canned and dried. A wine made from it 

 is distilled into Raspberry Brandy. 



Marts. — The ease with which it is cul- 

 tivated enables gardeners in the ^'icinit^- of our large cities to supply the 

 market. It is so perishable that it cannot be shipped to long distances, hence 

 the markets must be local. 



4. K. villosus. Ait. (High Blackberry.) Stem from 3 to 8 feet high, curved, 

 from half an inch to an inch in diameter ; young branches, and villous pedun- 

 cles, grooved, and armed with strong curved prickles. Root creeping. Leaves 

 3-foliate, or pedately 5-foliate ; stipules subulate ; leaflets ovate or oblong- 

 lanceolate, unequally serrate, villous beneath, petioles and midrib aculeate. 

 Flowers in a raceme, abundant, white ; sepals linear at their extremities j 



Rubus strigosus (Wild Red Raspberry). 



