Ethnobotany of the Meskwaki Indians / by Huron H. Smith.

264

BULLETIN, PUBLIC MUSEUM, MILWAUKEE.

[Vol. 4

ing] (M). These cherries are eaten avidly when fresh and ripe and
the women and children gather whole branches to carry to their working
places, stripping the fruit at their leisure while they work. The bark
makes a beverage.
Highbush Blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis Porter),73 "makate'
min" [blackberry] (M). The Meskwaki gather and eat the blackberry
fresh and in jams and pies, sun-drying and storing them also for
winter use.
Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis L.),74 "wita'wiaki" (M).
The blackcap raspberry is eaten fresh and also sun dried for winter
use. The root bark is sometimes used to make a tea to drink as a
beverage.
SAXIFRAGACEAE (SAXIFRAGE FAMILY)
Prickly Gooseberry (Ribes cynosbati L.),7 "kawe'minaki" (M).
The prickly gooseberry is cooked with sugar as a dessert. Mrs. Joe
Tesson, the informant, did not know of any combination with other
fruits.
Black Currant (Ribes floridum L'Her.), "kasooso'ana" kfik~
ke'shikeki" [crow berries] (M). The Meskwaki make use of the wild
black currants as a food.
SOLANACEAE (POTATO FAMILY)
Clammy Ground Cherry (Physalis heterophylla Nees.), "tcekwakwote" [crooked] (M). The Meskwaki eat these berries raw, when
they are ripe.
Ground Cherry (Physalis virginiana Mill.), "m&tamo'iminftni"
[old woman berries] (M). The Meskwaki eat these when they are
ripe. They prefer them when they have been touched by frost.
Meskwaki Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), "peni'aki" (M). The
Meskwaki have an Irish potato of their own propagation that dates
back considerably and seems to be of the Early Rose strain. It is not
purple inside like the Menomini potato.
"Present series, Vol. IV, pt. 1, pl. XXV, fig. 4.
"Present series, Vol. IV, pt. 1, pl. XXV, fig. 3.
T"Present series, Vol. IV, pt. 1, pl. XXXIII, fig. 1.