(O u r / g 473.) — This has red C. P . 3 rithra Ser. fruit. I t is the C.
P àdus frúctu rùbro o f D e c. and o f Lo ise leu r; and, according to
Ait. Hort. Kew., 2d ed. p. 299., it is the P rim u s rù b ra o f Willd. Arb.,
237. t. 4. f. 2.
C.. jPT.. »4 burraaccLteeòossaa Ser. P àd u s racemòsus Hort. — A very beautiful
varietyq distinguished by its long racemes o f flowers, with their pedicels
furnished with long bracteas a t the points o f th e shoots,'by
which th e la tte r are bent down, both when in blossom and when
the fruit is ripe, so as to give th e w hole tre e a pendulous appearance.
A very handsome small tre e o r large bush. T h e leaves are finely serrated,
smooth, and somewhat glaucous ; and th e ir scent, when bruised, resembles’
th a t of rue. The flowers are o f a pure white, in copious, long, terminal
racemes, making an elegant appearance in spring, but scarcely lasting a fort-
47 4 . Cérasus P à d u s .
night. The fruit is small, black, austere, and bitter, with a large corrugated
n ut.u “ Birds o f several Sk1i.Sn.1dA4s0 osvoAoAnii MdeVvVouuIr tLh11i1s& ufruuiLit,, wwihjiiccihi 1i«s iniaauussecoouuss,, aannod
probably dangerous to m ankind; though, perhaps, like th a t o f the cherry
laurel, n o t o f so deadly a quality as th e essential oil or distilled water o f the
le a v es ” (K n a . ’Rlm-.i ii n \ TE« f..«« 1__ ______
1 »—/ L.IJ L.Av-...ooA.ui.iai wii Kji uiouuci.1 waicr ui iiie
leaves. (E n g . Flora, ii. p. 35 4 .) Th e tre e grows rapidly when young, at-
mining th e height o f 10 or 12 feet in 5 or 6 years ; and, as it has a loose
head, and bears pruning, it allows th e grass to grow under it. The wood is
hard and yellowish, and, in a green state, it has a disagreeable b itte r odour
and taste ; whence the French name putiet, from puer. I t is much sought
afte r m France by th e cabinetmakers and turners, who increase th e beauty of
Its veinmg by sawing o u t the boards diagonally, th a t is, obliquely across the
trunk, instead o f parallel with its length. The fruit, though nauseous to the
ta ste when eaten fresh from th e tree, gives an agreeable flavour to brandy;
and IS sometimes added to home-made wines. In Sweden and Lapland, and
also in some parts o f R ussia, th e bruised fruit is fermented, and a powerful spirit
distilled from it. In B ritain, the principal use o f th e Cérasus P àd u s is as an ornamental
tre e ; and few make a finer appearance than it does, either w hen in flower,
m April and M ay ; o r in August, when covered with its pendent racemes o f
black fruit. I t comes into flower a little before th e ornamental crab trees,
and about th e same time as th e 5orbus aucupària and th e ri'c e r p latanoides
The bird cherry prefers a dry so il; but it will n o t thrive on such p oor ground
as the perfumed cherry. I t will grow in almost any situation ; b ut, to attain
a tiiuber-hke size, it requires the shelter either o f a favourable locality, or o f
adjoining trees. Th e species is propagated by seeds, whicli should be'treated
X X V I . r o s a ' c e æ : c e ' r a s u s .
in all respects Hke those o f C. Mahàleb. The red-fruited variety will generally
come tru e from seed ; as, doubtless, will the early-flowering ami
late-flowerin« varieties, which may be observed in copse woods where this
tree aboundsi C. P . bracteòsa Ser., which is a very remarkable variety, and
one which deserves a place in every collection, both on account o f its large
racemes o f flowers and its fruit, will be continued with most certainty by grafting
or budding. The leaves are more infested and injured by th e larvte o f moths
and butterflies, than those o f any o th e r E u ro p ean tre e o r shrub.
23. C. v i r g i n i a ' n a Michx. The Vii-ginian Bird-Cherry Tree.
Identificatim. Michx. F l. Bor. Amer., l. p. 28,5.; De c. P ro d ., 2. p. 6 3 9 .D o n ’s Mill.,_2. P 615.
M k A
Snnommes. F rù n u s rù b r a A it. Hort. Kew. 1st ed. 2. p . 162., Wrild. Abb. 238. t.6 . f. 1. ; F . a rg h ta
Bieelow in L itt. ; Cerisier de Virginie, Fr. ; Virginische K irsc h e, Ger. ; Wild C h erry T re e , Amer.
Eneravines. Willd. Abb., 238. t. 5. f. 1. ; Michx. F l. Arb. Amer., 2. t. 88. ; an d o u rjîg . 475,
Spec. Char., <$■». Leaves oblong, acuminate, doubly to o th ed , smooth ; th e |ie-
tiole bearing about 4 glands. Racemes straight, petals round. F ru it red.
Different from th e P riin u s virginiàna o f Miller, which is C. (v .) serótina.
(Dec. Prod.) A tre e attaining a large size. Virginia, Carolina, and Canada.
remaining
slender, purplish, Imt n o t spotted with
ipp)
hiitte like C. Pà d u s .
Readily distinguished from Cérasus P àd u s by
the slender drooping character o f its branches.
The fruit is frequently ripened in th e neighbourhood
of London, and plants in copse woods,
which have risen from selfsown seeds, are to be
met with in different parts o f Surrey. The
wood of the Virginia bird cherry is o f a light red
tint, which deepens with age. I t is compact,
fine-grained, and takes a brilliant polish ; it is
also not liable to warp when perfectly seasoned.
In America, it is extensively used by cabinetmakers
for every species o f furniture. In E u rope,
C. virginiàna is planted solely as an ornamental
tree ; and, as such, it well deserves a
place in every collection. I t should be planted
in every shrubbery o r wood where it is tlesirable
to attract frugivorous singing birds. F o r soil, situation,
propagation, culture, &c., see C. Pàd u s.
S 24. C. (v .) s e b o ' t i n a Lois. Th e \a.te-flcwenng, or American, Bird-
Cherry Tree.
Identification. Lois, in D u Ham., 5. p. 3. ; Dec. P ro d ., 2.
p. 540. i Don's Milt., 2. p. 616,
Synonymes. F rù n u s serótina Witld. Abb. 239. ; F . v irg in iàn a
Mili. Diet. No. 2.
Engravings. Willd. Abb., 239. t. 5. f.‘2. ; W’ats . D e n d . B rit.,
t. 48. ; and oar figs. 476, 477.
Spec. Char., Sfc. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, ra the r
coriaceous, glossy, serrated ; th e teeth imbricate,
very numerous, and th e lowest ones indistinctly
glanded. Midrib dow ny a t its base. F lo ral
leaves narrowed a t th ebase. Racemes loose.
Fruit black. (Dec. Prod.) A middle-sized tree.
A native o f North America,in Canada and Newfoundland.
Height 10ft. to 2 0 ft. Introd. 1629. ‘
Flowers white ; May and Ju n e. Drupe black ;
ripe in August. Leaves retained late, and
dropping green. Naked young wood slender,
purplish.
u 2
476. Cerasus(»-) svrJlin*.