THE CHERRY 119 



country in 1669, commanding the preservation of all Cherry- 

 trees in the royal forests. The consequence of this was 

 that the forests became so full of fruit-trees, that there was 

 no longer room for the underwood, when they were all cut 

 down, except such young ones as were included among the 

 number of standard saplings required by the law to be left 

 to secure a supply. This measure was a great calamity to 

 the poor, who, during several months of the year, lived 

 either directly or indirectly on the fruit. Soup made of 

 Cherries, with a little bread and a little butter, was the 

 common nourishment of the wood-cutters and charcoal- 

 burners of the forest. Of late years the practice of planting 

 Cherry-trees by the roadside has been extensively adopted 

 in Germany ; and one may now travel from Strasburg to 

 Munich, a distance of two hundred and fifty miles, through 

 an avenue of Cherries, interspersed with Walnuts, Plums, 

 and Pears. By far the greater part of the first are un- 

 grafted trees, which succeed in the poorest soil, and in the 

 coldest and most elevated situations. A large portion of 

 the tract of country which bears the name of Black Forest 

 is an elevated, irregular surface, with no other wood than 

 the Cherry- trees, which have been planted by the roadside. 

 ' Cherries are preserved in various ways. Sometimes 

 they are simply dried in the sun, in which state they are 

 much used for puddings : they are also preserved in 

 brandy, or converted into marmalade, lozenges, &c. Fer- 

 mented and distilled, they furnish the liqueurs called 

 Ratafia, Kirschwasser, and Maraschino. Wine and vinegar 

 are also made from them ; and an oil is extracted from the 

 kernels, which is used to give the flavour of bitter almonds 

 to puddings, &c. ; the leaves are also used for the same 

 purpose. 



From the bark of the Cherry-tree an elastic but not very 

 viscid gum exudes, which is said to have many of the 

 properties of gum-arabic. 1 Hasselquist relates that more 



1 Any excessive flow of gum is very injurious to the tree ; and, 

 indeed, in time proves fatal. 



