THE KANSAS CHERRY. 5 



"Can she make a cherry pie 

 Billy boy, Billy boy ? 

 Can she make a cherry pie, 



Charming Billy ? 

 Yes, she can make a cherry pie. 

 The top notch for you and I, 

 But the young thing will never leave her mother." 



This girl knew how to "touch'" Billy in the right spot, but she 

 wanted to stay with the one who had taught her the secret, as she 

 knew there was more a comin'. See recipes in this book. 



THE CHERRY. 



From Downing's " Fruit and Fruit-trees of Amercia." 



Cerasus sylvestris, and C. vulgaris, Arb. Brit. Bosacece, of the botanist. 

 Ceriszer, of the French. Kirschenhaum,Gevui?in. Ciriego, lt?i\\s,n. Cerezo, 

 Spanish. 



The cherry is a fine, luxuriant fruit-tree, with smooth, light-colored 

 bark, and generally of rapid growth. The varieties of the black 

 and heart-shaped cherries are always vigorous, and form fine, large, 

 spreading heads, forty or fifty feet in height; but those of the acid 

 or red cherry are of lower, more bushy and tardy growth. In the 

 spring the cherry tree is profusely covered with clusters of snow-white 

 blossoms, and earlier in the summer than upon any other tree. These 

 are followed by abundant crops of juicy, sweet or acid fruit, hanging 

 upon long stalks, and enclosing a smooth stone. The cherry comes 

 originally from Asia, and the Roman general, Lucullus, after a victo- 

 rious exj)edition into Pontus, has the reputation of having brought it 

 to Italy from Cerasus, a town in that province, in the year 69 B. C. 

 According to Pliny, the Romans, 100 years after this, had eight va- 

 rieties in cultivation, and they were soon afterwards carried to all 

 parts of Europe. The seeds of the cultivated cherry were brought to 

 this country very early after its settlement both from England and 

 Holland. 



Uses. — As pleasant and refreshing dessert fruit the cherry is every- 

 where esteemed. The early season at which it ripens, its juiciness, 

 delicacy, and richness, render it always acceptable. While the large 

 and fleshy varieties are exceedingly sweet and luscious, others, which 

 are more tender and more or less acid, are very valuable for pies, 

 tarts, and various kinds of cookery. The fruit of the Kentish or 

 Early Richmond is excellent when stoned and dried, and the Maz- 

 zard and our wild Virginia cherries are used to give a flavor to brandy. 

 When canned, they retain their character and are very delicious. The 



