CHAPTER V. 



DWARF CHERRY. 



NATURAL FAMILY ROSACE^E. 



PRUNUS. SUB-GENUS, CERASUS. THE CHERRY. 



The Cherries, as a class, do not come within the pro- 

 posed scope of this work. But there is at least one native 

 species that is worthy of being placed among the small 

 fruits, and I have introduced it here for the purpose of 

 calling the attention of our horticulturists to it, hoping 

 that through their efforts a new, distinct, and valuable 

 class of Cherries will be originated. 



All of the varieties of the Cherry commonly cultivat- 

 ed, are of foreign origin, and the native species have so 

 far resisted all attempts at improvement; as a general 

 thing, there appears to be no affinity between those 

 of the eastern and western continent. They will neither 

 hybridize, nor the wood unite when worked one upon the 

 other. Thus the door seems to be closed against the in- 

 termingling of the superior and the inferior, and progress 

 only possible by raising seedlings of the native kinds 

 without foreign aid. 



There are, however, two indigenous species which appear 

 to be nearly related to the foreign, at least sufficiently so, to 

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