248 Ornamental Shrubs. 



cerasus, under which they are generally catalogued by the 

 nurserymen. The best authorities are now disposed to 

 drop the latter name altogether, and, though the change 

 may lead to some confusion for a time, it is so evidently in 

 the line of correct definitions that it should be accepted by 

 all interested. 



The cherries are mostly natives of the north temperate 

 zone, but are not altogether unknown in the tropics. 

 They are mostly small trees, though some are large enough 

 to be valuable for timber, and others are mere shrubs and 

 bushes. Most of them are sufficiently hardy for ordinary 

 horticultural purposes throughout the United States. In 

 nearly all the species the flowers are white, single, and are 

 borne in early spring. They are mostly in umbels, spring- 

 ing from scaly buds often in advance of the appearance of 

 the foliage. In some of the varieties, especially in the 

 more recently introduced Asiatic forms, the flowers are 

 found to be double, and rose-colored or pink. It is 

 largely through these varieties that the genus becomes 

 valuable for ornamental planting. A few of these have 

 been known for many years, but have not been sufficiently 

 distributed to afford an opportunity to the general public 

 to appreciate their value. All cherry blossoms are beau- 

 tiful, and these later improvements are especially so. 



One of the oldest species in use in this country is what 

 is known as the bird cherry, P. padus, which is a native of 

 Europe and Asia, growing to a height of twenty feet, of 

 large spreading habit, and clothed in May with a great 

 abundance of white, single flowers. These are followed 

 by black berries ripening in autumn, and to some extent 



