Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-09
AUTUMNAL RED BERRIES.
Native Fruit that May be Used In Inte-
rior Decorations.

From the Philaaelphia Tfmes
Holly. with the familiar holly berries, NAV
already be seen on the streets for sale. Some
Of the colorsd people from New Jersey display
great punches of scarlet-clustered fruit and
gloss evergreen, prickly-edged leaves. There
il little1 harmless trickery in some of these
bunches-the leaves often come from one plant.
the berries from another. It is not popularity
known that there are several species of holly,
only one Of which Is pre-eminently noted for
its curious and beautiful foliage. The berries
Of this are dull-tinted and few, compared with
those Of another kind Of holly. whose leaves
fail like other deciduous leaves. The hand
soonest punches Of holly sold are made up of
clusters Of brilliant globes from the later
species, against background Of green from
the former. The evergreen holly, or lick, is
almost identical with the English holly. In
these ATTITUDES II grows mostly in the Jersey
pine barrens. But the other holly, which at
this season may be seen bearing berries with
no leaves: grows sparingly in Pennsylvania
well as New Jersey. 1t is one OF the famous
rare plants Of Chester county.
In company with the holly may be seen ex-
posed for sale the trailing vines and vermilion
fruit Of the beautiful Mitchella or partridge
berry. This little berry has become familiar
to the general public, but thanks to the chrome
card and the artistic amateur, the same general
public seems to imagine that it is the fruit of
the trailing arbutus The difference in the
leaves Of the two plants ought to be enough to
convince even o casual observer Of the error
The plants are totally distinct, the trailing
arbutus being allied to the rhododendron, the
partridge-berry to the Quaker-lady. The mis-
take probably originated from the fact that
the pretty red berry keeps its color and fresh
ness all winter, even under the snow, and in
early spring may be seen side by side with the
blossoms OF the trailing arbutus. The flowers
OF the partridge-berry do not appear until
about June. Curious to relate, it takes two
blossoms TO form one berry. These two are
side by side at the tip Of vine. They are
shaped like the blooms of Quaker-lady, satiny-
white within. something Of garnet tint with
out and are exceedingly fragrant
The "artistic amateur" has gotten hold of
the dogwood as well as the partridge-berry
with the result Of having it only half known
the spring, but few seem to know that the dog
wood gives us the handsomest of all our an
tumnal berries, while the leaves themselves in
scarlet and gold often rival those of the maple
The fruit OF the dogwood grows in clusters at
the tips OF the twigs. often preserving COR
geous seraninm color till Christmas day. The
cluster might be expected, as the tiny bios
SONS OF the dogwoOd grow in clusters This
may seem an error, but it is not. The large
white petal-like growths of the familiar dog
wood are no part OF the real flowers at all, but
are only ornamental appendages growing
around them. The true flowers are the little
greenlsh bunch in the center Of the four white
leaves, and these are called bracts, O term
meaning leaves different from the regular To-
liage of plant There are three or four other
species OF dogwood nearly as common as the
better-known cornus florida or so-callcd flower
ing doSwood These have the little clustered
blossoms, bat not the ornamental leaves Of their
relative. Their berries are mostly blue.
Quite number Of our plants bear blue ber-
rtes almost as handsome in their way as the
more familiar red. Among these are the cat
brier, sour gum and the viburnums, to say
nothing Of the Wild grapes. All Of these may
be made quite effective in decoration. Every
body knows the spice bush and sassafras in the
spring. But everybody does not know that in
the fall they are covered with brilliant waxen
red berries These ought to be Of interest to
the general public when 1t is learned that both
are allied to the classic laurel
near relative of the American laurel is the
gaultheria, popularity known as tea-berry or
wintergreen. This is low-growing, ever
green-leaved plant, with a spicy odor. It NAV
be found along the Wissahickon. Quantities
of the sweet-tasted, pinkish-red berries NAV
be seen any autumn or winter day at any fruit
stand. The favorite and quaint Jack-in-the-
pulpit has its scarlet autumnal fruit. This is a
handsome spadix, or club, as brilliant as coral
or rubies. But woe to him who attempts to
eat 1t, that Is, If he does not like mustard or
cayenne pepper. The root Of Jack in the-pul-
pit is the very same article that has gained
such q pRd name as the fiery Indian turnip.
The hip or red fruit Of the rose is well-known.
Many, however, do not know that the ripened
pericarps Of the wild rose are particularly
beautiful and abundant. Any of the foregoing
berries are effective when combined with ever
green--a great deal more so than are dyed i'm
mortelles or grasses.
To the list Of native berries might be added
cranberries as opening new opportunity for
autumnal decoration. People have grown SO
used to thinking of cranberries as made to eat
that they forget what beautiful fruit these are.
They are produced by dainty little plant with
delicate waxen blossoms. a near relative of the
trailing arbutus and teaberrry. The cranberry
grows principally in the Jersey swamps. 1t il
but few inches in height and is SO small and
incOnspicuous that only the presence of the
berry among the grasses betrays the plant.
Cranberries imbedded in plate of moss are
quite legitimate as a center-piece in autumnal
decoration.