32 THE CHERRIES OF NEW YORK 



Leaves numerous, an inch in length, one and one-fourth inches wide, ovate to obovate, 

 thick, leathery; upper surface dark green, glossy, smooth; lower surface light green, 

 slightly pubescent along the midrid; apex and base abrupt; margin finely crenate, with 

 reddish-brown glands; petiole one-half inch long, slender, greenish, with none or with 

 from one to three small, globose, greenish glands variable in position. 



Buds small, short, obtuse, appressed or free, arranged singly as lateral buds and in 

 clusters on small, slender spurs; flowers appearing late, after the leaves, small, averag- 

 ing one-half inch across, white, fragrant; borne in clusters of six to eight scattered on a 

 main stem an inch in length, with the terminal pedicels one-quarter inch long and basal 

 pedicels one-half inch long; pedicels slender, glabrous, greenish; calyx-tube green, cam- 

 panulate, glabrous; calyx-lobes narrow, entire, glabrous, reflexed; petals white, small, 

 separated, ovate, tapering to short, narrow claws; filaments one-fourth inch long; pistil 

 glabrous, about equal to the stamens in length. 



Fruit matures about the middle of July; very small, one-fourth inch long, one-third 

 inch wide, roundish-ovate; cavity shallow and abrupt; suture shallow or a mere line; apex 

 roundish to slightly pointed, with stigma usually adherent; color black; stem slender, 

 length of corymb about one and one-half inches; length of fruit-stem about one-quarter 

 inch; skin thick, tough; flesh reddish-black, with scant reddish-black juice, tender and 

 soft, very astringent, sour, not edible; stone free or nearly so, very small, averaging nine 

 thirty-seconds inch long and seven thirty-seconds inch wide, ovate, slightly flattened, 

 with pointed apex; ventral suture prominent. 



Primus mahaleb is now a wild inhabitant of all southern Europe as 

 far north as central France, southern Germany, Austria-Hungary and 

 eastward through Asia Minor and Caucasia to and within the borders 

 of Turkestan. Wherever it grows spontaneously in the Old World it is 

 said to prefer rocky, gravelly, sunny slopes and the climate in which the 

 grape thrives best. Wild or cultivated, the Mahaleb is a shallow-rooted 

 plant, a fact that must be taken into consideration in its use as a stock. 

 Prunus mahaleb is a common escape from cultivation in eastern North 

 America especially about the nursery centers of central New York. 



The Mahaleb, or St. Lucie cherry, is of no importance to fruit- 

 growers for its fruit but as a consort with nearly all of the Sweet and Sour 

 Cherries now being propagated in North America it becomes of prime 

 importance and so receives botanical consideration here. According to 

 Schneider, in the reference cited, there are several spontaneous forms of 

 Prunus mahaleb and also several horticulttiral varieties grown as orna- 

 mentals. None of these, wild or cultivated, are of interest to fruit- 

 growers, unless, perchance some one of them shotild prove to be a better 

 stock upon which to work orchard cherries. Mahaleb stocks are usually 

 grown as seedlings but may also be propagated from root cuttings. 



