Wild Strawberries. 41 
of the State. Around the margin of Humboldt Bay, on land 
cleared by fire or axe, blackberries spring up abundantly on the 
denuded land. Tons of the fruit are said to remain after the 
local housewives have done their utmost in preserving and jelly- 
making. In the lowland region around Stockton considerable 
quantities are sometimes gathered for sale. The fruit, which 
has been held in high repute ever since pioneer days, is oblong, 
black, and sweet. The species is variable, and the anomaly, a 
white blackberry, has been reported irom Del Norte County. 
Wild Strawberries (Fragaria sp.)—We have in California 
two Eastern species: Fragaria vesca and F. Virgimana. Thus 
far these have only been reported from localities in the Sierra 
mountain region. Another has been found identical with a 
South American species, Chiloensis, and it occurs along the coast, 
where the fruit is esteemed, and is sometimes abundant enough 
to gather in quantity. A fourth species is local, and is named 
Californica. It bears a small round fruit and is partial to the 
coast region. Recently some cultural attention has been given 
to the wild strawberry, and a variety worthy of propagation is 
reported by growers resident in the Sierra region. It is called 
“Honey,” and is described by Watkins as small to medium size, 
exquisite flavor, glowing red color, productive, perfect bloom, 
and very hardy. Other varieties of the Alpine type have been 
brought to light in the Sierra region and to some extent dis- 
tributed. 
Wild Gooseberries and Currants (Ribes sp.)—Some of our 
currant species are achieving quite a reputation abroad as orna- 
mental shrubs, but they bear insipid fruit. The fruit of Ribes 
tenuiflorum is, however, more agreeable, and is esteemed for 
jellies, etc., by dwellers in its region, which is the mountain 
region of the extreme north of the State. We also have a 
species (bracteosum) which has something of the black currant 
flavor and a fair-sized fruit, black with whitish bloom, and very 
sweet. 
There are also several species of Ribes which are classed 
with the gooseberries, but only three bear edible fruit. One of 
these (Ribes divaricatum) is peculiar to this coast; another (Ribes 
oxyacanthoides) occurs at an elevation in the Sierra Nevada and 
thence extends eastward beyond the Rocky Mountains. The 
berries are small to medium, of pleasant flavor, and well armed 
with spines. Another species (Ribes quercetorum), common in 
San Luis Obispo and Kern Counties, resembles the flavor of 
the cultivated gooseberry, and is free from spines. 
Cranberries and HHuckleberries (Vaccinium sp.).—We have 
several species belonging to the same botanical genus as the 
Eastern cranberry, but quite different from it both in growth 
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