THE DWARF CHERRIES 233 



golden -leaf, found wild by Jackson Dawsoii, of the 

 Arnold Arboretum, and somewhat disseminated, and 

 probably essentially the same as variegata; carthagena, 

 with small, short -elliptic or ovate -elliptic leaves. 

 Primus serotina ranges through the eastern and 

 southern states as far west as Kansas. 



Prunus Pennsylvania, the bird, wild red, pigeon 

 or pin cherry, is occasionally cultivated for ornament, 

 although it is not so well known as its merits 

 deserve. It sprouts badly, a feature which no doubt 

 discourages its dissemination. The species has been 

 lately recommended as a stock for the common orchard 

 cherries. The union with the orchard cherries, both 

 sweet and sour, appears to be good as a rule, and the 

 species certainly possesses promise as a cheap and 

 hardy stock in climates too rigorous for the ordinary 

 cherry stocks. The fruit is sometimes used in the 

 preparation of cough mixtures, but is never edible. 

 It is generally distributed throughout the northern 

 half of the Union from the Atlantic to Colorado. 



The Dwarf Cherry Group 



There is one well marked group of native cherries 

 which seems to be destined to play an important part 

 in the evolution of American fruits. This includes 

 two or three bush cherries. They are just now begin- 

 ning to attract the attention of experimenters, and 

 already hybrids between one of them and the true 

 plums have been produced. It is fortunate that the 

 history of the group is now written, before it has 

 become so profoundly modified by domestication that 

 it is not necessary to invoke speculation to determine 



