ROSACEA. 121 
In France the Cherry is highly prized, not only as a fruit pleasant and delicious to 
the taste, but as affording food to the poor, and a law was passed so long ago as 1669 
commanding the preservation of all Cherry-trees in the royal forests. This edict caused 
such a superabundance of Cherry-trees as to allow no room for the growth of under- 
wood, when, going to the other extreme, all the fruit-trees were cut down excepting 
some young saplings ; and Bose tells us that this great calamity for the poor caused 
considerable distress to many who had subsisted for several months of the year directly 
or indirectly on the produce of the mérisier. Soup made of the fruit with a little bread 
and a little butter was the common food of the woodcutters and charcoal-burners of the 
forest during the winter. Cherries enter much more largely into the diet of our continental 
neighbours than into our own. We constantly hear of Cherry cakes and Cherry wine, 
and the common spirit of the Continent, Kirschwasser, is distilled from them after 
fermentation. For the manufacture of this spirit, which is made chiefly in Alsace in 
France, in Urtemberg in Germany, and in Berne and Basle in Switzerland, the wild 
black-gean is preferred. Maraschino is also made from the Cherry, much in the same 
way as Kirschwasser. The kind of Cherry preferred for this purpose is a small acid 
fruit called marasca, which abounds in the north of Italy, at Trieste, and in Dalmatia. 
The chief difference in the manufacture of Maraschino from Kirschwasser is the mix- 
ture of honey with the distilled juice in the former. Loudon tells us that genuine 
Maraschino is as difficult to meet with as genuine Tokay, and that a large quantity of 
such as is sold is nothing more than Kirschwasser mixed with honey and water. 
Noyau and Ratafia are flavoured with the kernels of the Cherries, and we believe that 
the leaves are often admitted into the preparation, and add to the flavour and perfume. 
In this country we use Cherries as pleasant additions to the luxuries of our table, 
not only freshly gathered from the trees, but in the shape of Cherry brandy, preserved 
Cherries, and “Cherry pie,” so celebrated in nursery song, as the promised treat to Jenny 
Wren, when Cock Robin says,— 
“Tf you will but be mine, 
You shall dine on Cherry pie, and drink nice currant wine.” 
In nursery mythology the Cherry-tree is a favourite tree, and for some unknown reason 
is associated with the cuckoo. It is still the custom in some districts for children to 
dance round a Cherry-tree singing :— 
“ Cuckoo Cherry-tree, 
Come down and tell to me 
How many years I have to live.” 
Each child then shakes the tree, and the number of Cherries that fall is supposed to be 
the answer to the question. One of our earliest English games was called Cherry-pit, 
and consisted of pitching cherry-stones into a little hole, much as marbles are some- 
times played. Shakespeare alludes to it in “Twelfth Night.” Sir Toby Belch says: 
“Tis not for gravity to play at cherry-pit with Satan.” 
The gum of the Cherry-tree has the same properties as gum-arabic, but differs from 
it in not dissolving in cold water. It is known to chemists as cerasin. Hasselquist 
relates that a hundred men were kept alive during a siege of two months by the gum 
of the Cherry alone: this is highly incredible, however, as it contains little or no 
nitrogenous matter. 
The wood of the wild Cherry is fine, close-grained, strong, and of a reddish colour: 
It is easily worked, and takes a fine polish. It is much sought after by cabinet-makers 
and turners, particularly in France, where mahogany is not so common as in Britain. 
VOL. III. R 
