60 Oxycoccus macrocarpus.
it is in great abundance, giving the name of Cranberry-swamps to
such localities. Extensive Cranberry-swamps are met with in New
Jersey; the nearest to Philadelphia is about a mile south-east of
Kaighn’s Point. Flowers in May, and continues in bloom till July,
at which time young berries are produced. The ripe berries are
often persistent during the winter.
The genus Oxycoccus was first established by Persoon. It comprises
a few species of Vaccinium, which possess the characters noted
at the head of this chapter; and Vaccinium hispidulus, thrown by
Pursh into Gaultheria, has been thought more properly to belong to
this genus. The American species of the genus are hut three. 1 .
The plant under present notice. 2. O. hispidulus. 3. O. erythrocar-
pus. It is entirely a North American genus, with the exception of O.
Europseus, (Vaccinium oxycoccus of Willd.) or European Cranberry,
which has never yet been detected in any part of North America.
The species here described is called specifically macrocarpus, from
the large size of the capsule or berry. The common English or vulgar
name Craneberry, or Cranberry, has very plausibly been supposed
to be derived from the crooked peduncle near the calix, which
with the unexpanded flower sufficiently resembles a crane’s bill, to
justify the common name.
Cranberries are so well known in our northern and middle and
even some southern states, as a favourite article of diet, that it may
seem superfluous to enter minutely on a description of their proper-
Oxycoccus macrocarpus. g1
ties. A belief, however, that, much as they are in demand, and greatly
as they are esteemed, they are still entitled to a more extensive use
as a salubrious dietetic article, as well as in application to medicine_
renders it proper to be particular on these points. These berries
are often brought to market when unripe, the cupidity of those who
collect them thus depriving us of the delicious acid which is evolved
by their maturation. The criterion of their maturity is their possessing
a fine red colour, and having attained a large size, as in fig. a of the
plate, and, though of a firm consistence, not being hard. The common
mode of preparing these berries is confined to stewing them with
sugar, until they have imbibed a sufficiency of the saccharine syrup
to neutralize the slight degree of acerbity they possess, and make
them palatably sweet. In this form they are cooling, slightly laxative,
and promote digestion. But they might likewise be employed
more extensively by making acidulous drinks, for persons labouring
under febrile complaints. The expressed juice might be preserved
by a sufficient quantity of alcohol to prevent fermentation, and set
aside for summer use, to make a kind of lemonade. A rob might
also be prepared, and advantageously used in diet and medicine,
by evaporating the syrup obtained from them.
The berries are very acid, slightly astringent, and sub-acerb in
their crude or uncooked state, but are grateful to most persons
when prepared by culinary arts. The berries of almost all the species
of Vaccinium are edible, and of these the Vaccinium oxycoccus,
or European cranberry, and V. myrtillus or bilberry, are in greatest