THE KANSAS CHERRY. 



THE CHEREY. 



Written for Bailey's "Cyclopedia of American Horticulture," by G. Harold Powell, and 

 published on page 291 of same. 



Cultivated tree cherries have probably sprung from the European 

 species, Prunus avium Linn., and Prunus eerasus Linn. The do- 

 mesticated forms of P. avium are characterized by a tall, erect growth; 

 reddish brown, glossy bark, which separates in rings ; flowers gener- 

 ally in clusters on lateral spurs, appearing with the limp, gradually 

 taj)er-pointed leaves ? fruit red, yellow, or black, generally sweet, 

 spherical, heart-shaped or pointed; flesh soft or firm. Sour cherries 

 are low-headed and spreading ; flowers in clusters from lateral buds, 

 appearing before the hard, stiff, rather abruptly pointed, light or 

 grayish green leaves. The following is the latest classification. 

 (Bailey, Bulletin No. 98, Cornell Exp. Sta.) 



Prunus avium has four representatives in the United States : (1) 

 The Mazzards, or inferior seedlings ; fruit of various shapes and col- 

 ors ; common along roadside. In the middle Atlantic states the wild 

 Mazzard trees often attain great age and size, particularly in the Del- 

 aware-Chesapeake peninsula. (2) The Hearts, or heart-shaped^ 

 sweet cherries, light or dark, represented by Black Tartarian and Gov- 

 ernor Wood. (3) The Bigarreaus, or heart-shaped, firm-fleshed, 

 sweet cherries, like the Napoleon and Windsor. (4) The Dukes; 

 light-colored, somewhat acid flesh, such as May Duke and Reine 

 Hortense. 



From Prunus cerasus two classes have sprung: (1) The Ama- 

 relles, or light-colored sour cherries, with colorless juice, represented 

 by Early Richmond and Montmorency. (2) The Morellos, or dark- 

 colored sour cherries, with dark-colored juice, like the English Mo- 

 rello and Louis Philippe. 



The following species also have horticultural value : Prunus ma- 

 halel), an old-world type, hardier and smaller, on which other cherries 

 are largely worked. P. jjennsylvanica, the native wild red, pin or 

 bird-cherry, whose hardiness may adapt it as a stock for the plains 

 states. P. hesseyi and P. pumila, the native sand or dwarf cherries, 

 the former represented by the Improved Dwarf Rocky Mountain 

 cherry. 



The cherry is not cultivated as a leading industry east of the Rocky 

 mountains, excepting in western New York, where the sour varieties 

 are grown for canning. The sweet cherry is confined mostly to door- 

 yard and fence-corner plantings. Sour kinds are found in orchard 

 blocks in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, 

 Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, and Nebraska. Sweet-cherry culture, how- 



