CHAP. XLII. ROSA‘CER. (CE’RASUS. 709 
* 22. C. Pa‘pus Dec. The Bird Cherry Tree. 
Identification. Dec. FI. Fr., 4. p. 580.; Prod., 2. p, 539. ; Don’s Mill., 2. p. 515. 
Synonymes, Prinus Padus Lin. Sp., 677., Hook. Brit. Flora, p.220., Smith Eng. Flora, 2. p. 354. ; 
Bird Cherry, Fowl Cherry ; Hag-berry, Scof.; Cerisier 4 Grappes, Mérisier 4 Grappes, Lau- 
rier-Putier, or Putiet, faux Bois de Ste. Lucie, Fy. ; Hag-bier, Swedish ; Traubeden Kirsche, Ger. 
Engravings. Eng. Bot., t. 1383. ; and the plate of this species in our Second Volume. 
Spec. Char., §c. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, somewhat acuminate, thin, serru- 
late, with the teeth rather spreading. Racemes long, leafy. Fruit round, 
bitter. Wild, on hills and in hedges, in Europe. (Dec. Prod., ii. p.539.) 
A low tree, indigenous in most parts of central Europe, and as far north 
as Lapland. Seringe, in Dec. Prod., has characterised four forms of this 
species, as follows : — 
* C. P. 1 vulgaris Ser. C. Padus Dec. (Fl. Fr., iv. p. 580.) and Lois. 
(N. Du Ham., v. t. 1.) — This kind has large flowers loosely disposed 
upon long pedicels, and black fruit. 
* C. P. 2 parviflora Ser. (Gd, Fl. Dan., t. 205.) — This has smaller 
flowers, upon shorter pedicels, which are disposed more densely ; 
and black fruit. 
* C. P.3 rubra Ser.— This has red fruit. It is the C. Padus frictu 
rubro of Dec. and of Loiseleur, in the places cited above; and, 
according to Ait. Hort. Kew., 2d ed. p. 299., it is the Pranus rubra 
of Willd. Arb., 237. t. 4. f. 2. 
* C. P. 4 bractedsa Ser.— This has very numerous flowers, and their 
pedicels are attended by long bracteas. It is a very beautiful 
variety, distinguished by its long racemes of flowers at the points of 
the shoots, by which the latter are bent down, both when in blossom 
and when the fruit is ripe, so as to give the whole tree a pendulous 
appearance. 
Description. In a wild state, the bird cherry forms a small tree, or large 
bush, of 10 ft. or 12 ft. in height; but, in good soil, and trained to a single 
stem, it will attain to double that height, or more, with a trunk upwards of a 
foot in diameter. The branches are spreading, and covered with a purplish 
bark, spotted with white. The leaves are finely serrated, smooth, and some- 
what glaucous; and their scent, when bruised, resembles that of rue. The 
flowers are of a pure white, in copious, long, drooping clusters, making an 
elegant appearance in spring, but scarcely lasting a fortnight. The fruit is 
small, black, austere, and bitter, with a large corrugated nut, “ Birds of 
several kinds soon devour this fruit, which is nauseous, and probably dan- 
gerous to mankind; though, perhaps, like that of the cherry laurel, not of 
so deadly a quality as the essential oil or distilled water of the leaves.” 
(Eng. Flora, ii. p. 354.) The tree grows rapidly when young, attaining the 
height of 10 ft. or 12 ft. in 5 or 6 years; and, as it has a loose head, and bears 
pruning, it allows the grass to grow under it. 
Geography, History, §c. The bird cherry is found wild in woods in most 
parts of Europe, and in the north-west of Asia. It grows on Mount Cauca- 
sus, in Russia, in Siberiaas far as lat. 62° N., in Lapland as far as lat. 70°N., 
and in Kamtschatka. It is to be found in every part of England, and in 
many places in Scotland and Ireland. In the north of England, according 
to Winch, it grows to the height of 1600 ft. above the level of the sea, In 
Scotland, it is common as an undergrowth, in native woods, more particularly 
in tolerably dry soils. It was known to Theophrastus (see p. 17.) ; and seems 
to have been first noticed by Matthiolus on the Continent, and by Gerard in 
Britain. Gerard says that, in his time, it grew wild in the woods of Kent, 
where it was used as a stock to graft cherries on, more particularly the 
Flanders cherry. In Lancashire, he says, it was found in almost every hedge. 
_ Properties and Uses. The wood is hard and yellowish, and, in a green state, 
it has a disagreeable bitter odour and taste; whence the French name putiet, 
from puer. It is much sought after in France by the cabinetmakers and 
turners, who increase the beauty of its veining by sawing out the boards dia« 
gonally, that is, obliquely across the trunk, instead of parallel with its length. 
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