134 



WEEDS AXD USEFUL PLANTS. 



Crowx Pyrus. Crab Apple. Sweet-scented Crab-tree. 



stem ]0-15 feet liigh, 'brancliing ; branches spreading, rngged with sliort spurs, form- 

 ing a rather bushy top. Leaves 2-3 inches long -^jpetioles half "an inch to an inch and ahali 

 in Jength. Floicers large and fragrant ; petals pale rose red. FruU rather small (about 

 an inch in diameter), umbilicate at both ends, fleshy but firm and hard, smooth, pale 

 greenish yellow and very fragrant when mature — yet extremely acid. 



Borders of woodlands, road-sid"S, &c. New York to Louisiana. Fl. May. Fr. Sep- 

 tember. 



Ohs. This native apple is now becoming scarce in the older settle- 

 ments of Pennsylvania. In former times the ripe fruit was sought after, 

 by notable housewives, for the purpose of making preserves. 

 I 2. Leavs odd-pinnate; cymes compound] styles sepo/rate ; fruit berry- 

 like, small. (S or bus.) 



4. P. America'na, .-DC. Leaflets 13-15, lanceolate, taper-pointed, 

 sharply serrate, smooth ; cymes large, flat ; fruit red. 

 American Pyeus. American Mountain Ash. 



Small tree, 10-25 feet high, sometimes 4-6 inches in diameter, with a smooth bark. 

 Leoxes 8-12 inches or more in length ; leaflets 2-3 inches long, pubescent when young, 

 smooth with age. Flowers white; corymbs very compound, 4-10 inches in diameter; 

 fi-uit acid. 



Mountain woods. New England to Wisconsin. June. 



Obs. This elegant tree is often seen in cultivation, and is especially 

 conspicuous in the autumn, its large bunches of scarlet berries remain- 

 ing, after the leaves have fallen, even through the winter. It is very 

 nearly related to the European Mountain Ash, (P.aucupaeia), which 

 is also much cultivated. Both species are valuable as ornamental trees, 

 whether for the beauty of their foliage or fruit. 



12. GYDO'NIA, Tournef. Quince. 



[The name of a city of Crete, — whence it was obtained.] 



Calyx-tube subturbinate ; limb 5-lobed, — the lobes sometimes foliaceons. 

 Styles 5. Pome fleshy, containing 5 cartilaginous carpels. Seeds sev- 

 eral in each carpel or'^cell, covered with mucilaginous pulp. Small trees 

 or shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple, entire or serrate. Flowers large, 

 soKtary, or subumbellate. 



1. C. vulga'ris, Pers. Leaves oblong-ovate, obtuse at base, very en- 

 tire, tomentose beneath ; fruit sub-turbinate, tomentose. 

 Common Cydonia. Quince. Quince-tree. 



Fr. Le Cognassier. Geryn. Der Quittenbaum. Span. Membrillero 



stem ^-12 or 15 feet high, with spreading branches. Leaves 2-3 inches long ; petioles 

 about half an inch long. Flowers terminal, solitary. Petals reddish white. Stameiis in 

 a single eeriop. Fruit 2 inches or more in diameter, somewhat obovoid, umbilicate at 

 apex, abruptly tapering or produced at base, j-ellow when mature. 



Cultivated. Native of Southern Eui-ope. PZ. May. JV. September -October. 



Obs. The frait of this is chiefly used for making preserves, — for 

 which it is excellent. It is supposed to be the golden apple of the Hes- 



