24 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[January, 
The Coral-Berry (Cocculus Carolinus). 
An October ramble in the woods iu Georgia, 
although an unusually early frost had put tlieui 
COEAL-BEKRT. — ( Cocculus Carolinus. 
in an autumnal garb, presented much that was 
attractive to one who had been for many years a 
stranger to Southern vegetation. The winter 
states of many plants were interesting, and there 
were enough remaining 
seed-vessels and berries to 
keep oue actively engaged 
in collecting. Some favor- 
ed spots were enriched by 
the deep purple of the 
French Mulberry (Callicar- 
pa\ the berries of which 
attained a size and color 
and were home in a pro- 
fusion that our admired cul- 
tivated specimen could not 
approach. Then there were 
places fairly aglow with the 
bright scarlet of the Coral- 
berry, Cocculus Carolinus, 
a beautiful climber that ran 
over other shrub3 to the 
hight of ten or twelve feet, 
now by closely twining 
bringing its bright berries 
close to the support, and 
now hanging in graceful 
festoons from spray to 
spray. The Cocculus be- 
longs to the Moonseed 
Family, of which the Moonseed (Mciuspermum) 
is a common representative in our Northern 
thickets. The genus Cocculus, which gets its 
name from caecum, a berry, was formerly a 
large one, but it has been divided up by botan- 
ists, and the best known member of it, that 
which furnishes the poisonous Cocculus Indicus 
of the shops (used to stupefy 
fish and to adulterate ale) is 
not now Cocculus but Anamir- 
ta. The name Coral-berry, 
very generally given to it at 
the South, is sometimes ap- 
plied at the North to Sijm- 
phoricarpus vulgaris, the In- 
dian Currant. This little shrub 
does not need two common 
names, and it would simplify 
matters much if we would con- 
fine the term Coral-berry to 
the Cocculus, to which it is 
much more appropriate, and 
let the Sympkoricarpu& content 
itself with Indian Currant. 
But this matter of common 
names for plants is a too pro- 
lific one to be discussed here. 
The Cocculus lias a bright 
green stem, seldom larger than 
a lead-pencil, and generally 
very slender. The leaves are 
from two to four inches long, 
Very variable in form, being 
sometimes ovate, then heart- 
shaped, and again more or less 
lobed. They are downy on 
the under-surfice, and late in 
the season thick and leathery 
in texture. Tiie barren and 
fertile flowers are usually 
found upon diffoTOot individu- 
als (dioecious), but sometimes a 
vine will bear some perfect 
flowers. The flowers are borne 
in little racemes, as shown in 
the engraving, arc inconspicu- 
ous, aud greenish-colored. 
The fertile flowers have three 
to six pistils, of which one 
to five ripen and form small, flattened ber- 
ries, each one of which contains a single seed, 
which is curiously bent, so as to form almost a 
ring. Some years ago the Gardener's Monthly 
scarlet berries are truly brilliant. It must be re- 
membered that, iu order to be sure of fruit, the 
two sexes must be grown. The Coral-berry or 
Cocculus is found in Southern Illinois, Virginia, 
and southward, but is hardy much farther north. 
■■I ^o^ — *-«- 
Exhibiting Vegetables at Fairs. 
No part of a horticultural exhibition has for 
us more interest than the collections of vegeta- 
bles. It seldom happens that due importance 
is given to tiiis part of an exhibition, though of 
late years the Massachusetts and Pennsylvania 
Horticultural Societies have made a noteworthy 
advance iu this respect. Even at the best exhi- 
bitions, while the fruits and flowers are shown 
in comely array, there is a sort of higgledy-pig- 
gledy air about the vegetables that is far from 
pleasing. At the recent annual exhibition of 
the Ncwburgh Bay Horticultural Society one 
A new wheelbarrow. — (Seepage 23.) 
exhibitor look pains to arrange his contribution* 
iu something like order, and though he did not 
make the vegetables make the best show that 
they were capable of, yet his display was so 
much belter than is usually made, as to attract 
general attention. TTc do not see the use in 
exJiiuiting enrroU, turnip.'-, runt Oilier roots with 
their tops. These usually get "mussed" in 
transportation, and soon wilt in the exhibition- 
room, and detract much from the general effect. 
This matter of exhibiting vegetables is attract- 
ing attention in England. A correspondent of 
the Gardener's Magazine urges that societies 
which offer prizes should stipulate that the vege- 
tables be shown in trays of uniform size, and 
gives an illustration, which wc here reproduce, 
of a collection which took the first prize for fif- 
teen varieties at the late exhibition of the Royal 
Horticultural Society at Birmingham, The tray 
A TP.AT OP VEGETABLES AT THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY'S EXHIBITION. 
called attention to the value of this plant as an 
ornamental climber. It is pleasing in its foliage, 
and in autumn and early winter its abundant 
is four feet long, two feet wide, and two inches 
deep, and allows of a handsome display of its 
contents. A good example to our exhibitors. 
