180 



some species of rose, notably R. Nutkaensis. These fruits are far 

 less acid and more sugary than the crabs, and the " apple " sauce 

 and pies made from them are of the utmost importance to the 

 Alaskans. It is a long step, both botanically and geographically 

 from these to the "apple pies" of the far southwest, made from 

 the Mexican banana, the fruit of the Spanish bayonet {Yucca 

 baccata), a plant of the lily family. It is not difficult for any of 

 you to picture this plant in your imagination. Think of the 

 common Yucca of our gardens twice enlarged and much stouter, 

 with leaves ending in spines so stout and sharp that a falling 



stalk several fruits much resembling i 



n the 



i ther 



a quarter to a half inch thick which, when sliced off, may be 

 made into a pie resembling an apple pie of rather weak flavor. 



Not all of the fruits used under the name crabapple pertain to 

 the genus Mains. The thorn-apple, produced by the enormous 

 genus Crataegus, has probably been much more largely used than 

 is known. These fruits are very inferior to the crabs, being dry 

 and of a weak flavor, with a slightly mucilaginous consistency. 

 Nevertheless, the best of them occasionally find their way into 

 the market, and several species have been considerably improved 



apple" of the city of Mexico and its environs. 



The gooseberries and currants, of similar nature to the fruits 

 already considered, can scarcely be classed as little known, yet 



species of these plar 



t pers 



i that 



ixty 



of delicious fruit. Of the currants, 

 is the yellow-flowered, tall species, 

 'us temdfloruni), of the southwest. Its 

 currants of cultivation. In the north' 



the United State 

 :s, producing lai 

 :s, probably the 



ind that 



prickly fruit. In general, the 



