36 FLOWERS OF THE WOODS AND COPSES 



And 



" Those that eat cherries with great persons shall have their eyes squinted 

 out with the stones ". 



For fever on St. John's Day it was recommended to lie naked under 

 a cherry tree and shake the dew on one's back. 



It was dangerous to climb a cherry tree on St. James's Day, as the 

 chance of breaking one's neck is great. The tree was consecrated to 

 the Virgin, who wished one clay to refresh herself when she saw some 

 cherries hanging on a tree, and asked Joseph to gather some for her. 

 'He hesitated, and, mocking her, said: "Let the father of thy child 

 present them to you". No sooner had he said this than the bough 

 inclined itself to her. Christ gave one to St. Peter, reminding him 

 not to despise little things. The cuckoo must eat three meals of 

 cherries before it ceases to sing. 



This plant is the origin of the Morello Cherry and Kentish cherries. 

 The fruit is small and acid when wild. In the fourteenth century 

 ground-up cherry stones were supposed by the Doctrine of Signatures 

 to cure stone. 



The wood is close, and used for cabinet-work, and for making pipes 

 and cigarette-holders, as well as walking-sticks. A spirit is distilled 

 from the fruit called Kirschwasser (German for cherry-water). Noyau 

 and Ratafia are flavoured with the kernels, which contain prussic acid. 



From a variety grown in Dalmatia Maraschino is prepared. 



ESSENTIAL SPECIFIC CHARACTERS: 



92. Prunus Cerasus, L. Shrub or tree, erect, 8-10 ft., leaves 

 shortly stalked, doubly crenate, not drooping, glabrous, flowers in 

 sessile umbels, white, calyx-tube not constricted, petals with a claw, 

 fruit juicy, acid, red, round. 



Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca, L.) 



The soft nature of the fruits of this wild plant, in spite of the 

 harder seeds, has prevented them from being preserved as fossils. The 

 present distribution is limited to Arctic Europe, N. and W. Asia, the 

 Himalayas, and North America. The Wild Strawberry is general in 

 Great Britain, but does not occur in S. Lines, Mid Lanes, Stirling, 

 E. Sutherland, Hebrides, though elsewhere as far north as Shetland, 

 and it ascends to nearly 2000 ft. in the Highlands. It is common 

 also to Ireland and the Channel Islands. 



The Wild Strawberry is a shade-loving plant, which is to be found 



