1.54 SYSTEM A TIC POMOLOGY 



marki>t i)Iantatioiis; its j)()[)ula!-ity is clu'cked only because in 

 many localities the cherry crop is the exclusive property of birds 

 of whicli the r()l)in is the chief offender. 



223. Prunus Cerasus, the sour cherry, described. — The sys- 

 tematic standing of this group is imicli confused, various authors 

 having divided what is here considered one species into two or 

 more or subdivided it into several botanical varieties. Pomolo- 

 gists, however, follow the botanical usage which puts all sour 

 cherries in this species. 



1. Prunus Cerasus, Linn. (Plate XI) Tree reaching a height of 30 

 feet, round-topped; bark reddish-brown, smooth; branches spreading, slen- 

 der. Leaves resinous at opening, 3-4 inches long and %-2 inches wide, 

 obovate, firm in texture; margins finely serrate, often doubly so; teeth 

 tipped with small dark glands; petioles from %-2 inches long, slender, 

 grooved; glands 1-4. Flowers 1 inch across, white; borne in scaly clusters 

 on one-year-old wood; pedicels Mj-1V^ inches in length, slender. Fruit 

 round-oblate or cordate, sides compressed; suture indistinct; color light to 

 dark red; stem slender, i/^-2 inches in length; flesh dark red, with dark 

 colored juice or pale yellow with colorless juice, tender, melting, acidulous, 

 sometimes astringent; stone free or clinging, round, smooth; ventral suture 

 ridged. 



224. Habitat and history of the sour cherry. — The species is 

 so frequent an escape from cultivation that it is difficult to tell 

 where its wild form grew. Probably it is truly wild in south- 

 eastern Europe and southwestern Asia, where at least it now 

 seems most common and at home in the wild form. Wherever 

 cultivated the sour cherry escapes and is multiplied from seed 

 distributed by birds or by growing from suckers which spring 

 so freely from the roots that the species is unfit for a stock in 

 orchard work. The cherry antedates the Christian era — how 

 long it is difficult to tell. Certainly it grew in Rome a few 

 centuries before Christianity and by that time was probably well 

 distributed in every part of Europe where agriculture was 

 practiced. It was grown in Greece and neighboring countries 

 many hundreds of years before it was taken to Rome. The 

 earliest settlers brought the cherr>^ to North America, and 

 pioneers found it easiest to grow^ and one of the most acceptable 

 fruits as the agriculture of the continent was developed. About 

 300 varieties are under cultivation. 



