Edible Wild Fruits of New York. 



S7 



Passing now to the Rose family, we find it very prolific in species 

 that are useful and ornamental. To it we are indebted for apples, 

 pears, quinces, peaches, nectarines, almonds, apricots, plums, cher- 

 ries, June berries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc. Of 

 the genus Pyrus we have two introduced, and two native species 

 with edible fruits. Seedlings of the apple {Pyrus malus) and of the 

 pear (Pyrus communis) sometimes spring up by the wayside or in ne- 

 glected places, but their fruit is almost always inferior in quality and 

 scarcely fit for any thing except for making cider or feeding to pigs, so 

 quickly does this fruit deteriorate when care and cultivation are with- 

 drawn. Sometimes the remains of old orchards are found standing in 

 the woods. The orchards were neglected till forest trees grew up and 

 overtopped the apple trees. Strange to say, these trees sometimes bear 

 considerable fruit, even when thus surrounded and overshadowed, but 

 in time they are obliged to yield to the greater vigor of the native 



The crab apple (Pyrus coronaria) is indigenous in the western part 

 of the State. It is a shrub or small tree and has fragrant flowers and 

 fruit. The latter, however, is rather hard and sometimes bitterish, 

 yet it was eaten by the aborigines and was sometimes employed by the 

 early settlers in making preserves and cider. But at present there is 

 no need of using such a poor article. The chokeberry (Pyrus arbu- 

 tifolia) is a shrub, two or four feet high, that bears clusters of dark 

 red or black fruit about the size of huckleberries. When fully ripe 

 the fruit is eatable, but it is somewhat astringent and leaves a choking 

 sensation in the throat, which is suggestive of the name. The ten- 

 dency to adulterate articles of food that has been so strongly devel- 

 oped in these latter days is sometimes seen in the use made of this 

 fruit. Dishonest berry pickers, taking advantage of the resemblance 

 between the chokeberry and the huckleberry, sometimes mix the 

 former with the latter and sell the mixture for huckleberries. The 

 unsuspecting purchaser finds, when he eats his fruit, that he has paid 

 a good price for a poor article. 



In the June berry (Amelanclrier Canadensis), which is also called 

 service berry and shad berry, or shad bush, we have a more promising 

 fruit and one which has already attracted the attention of nurserymen, 

 some of whom now offer plants of one variety of it for sale. In this 

 State there are at least four varieties of it. The variety botry- 

 apium, or grape-fruited June berry, is a small tree growing from ten 

 to thirty and, in some instances, even to fifty feet high. Its flowers 

 are in long, drooping clusters, have oblong petals and, being very abun- 



