226 PRUNUS 



ARMENIACA. APRICOTS. 



Leaves convolute in bud. Flowers and fruit very shortly stalked, fruit velvety : 

 Armeniaca, brigantiaca, Mume, sibirica. {P. dasycarpa may be a hybrid between this 

 group and Prunus.) 



PADUS. BIRD CHERRIES. 



Leaves conduplicate in bud. Flowers in racemes produced on the young branches 

 of the year : cornnta, Cuthbertii, demissa, Grayana, nepaulensis, Padus, serotina, Ssiori, 

 virginiana. (jP. Maackii is intermediate between between this group and Laurocerasus, 

 its racemes being axillary, but its leaves deciduous.) 



LAUROCERASUS. CHERRY LAURELS. 



Evergreen. Flowers in racemes like those of the bird cherries, but produced from 

 the axils of the still persisting leaves of the previous year : caroliniana, ilicifolia, Lauro- 

 cerasus, lusitanica. 



The cultivation of Prunus generally is somewhat varied owing to the 

 wide variety of the species composing it. Generally they are very hardy ; 

 where they are not, the fact is noted. All the deciduous species enjoy 

 full exposure to sunlight ; it is on this more than anything else that the 

 flower crop depends. They all thrive on loamy soil, and most of them, 

 the plums especially, are at home on limestone formations. 



Many of the species, or most, can be increased by cuttings. This 

 method of propagation is well worth trying for those that are found to 

 be short-lived when grafted or budded. The cuttings should be made 

 of young wood getting firm, with a "heel" attached, and put in gentle 

 heat. Peaches and almonds are usually grafted or budded on plum 

 stocks because of the greater hardiness of the plum. The various cherries 

 may be worked on P. Avium,.and the bird cherries on P. Padus. The 

 laurels may be increased by cuttings. 



P. ACIDA, Ehrhart. 



(Cerasus acida, Borkhausen?) 



A deciduous rounded bush, rarely more than 8 to 10 ft. high, with sturdy, 

 erect branches, and smooth branchlets. Leaves oval, \\ to 3 ins. long, smooth, 

 doubly toothed, and shining. Flowers white, f in. across, produced in early 

 May in crowded clusters. Fruit dark red, sour. 



The origin of this cherry is doubtful, but it is probably East European, 

 either cultivated or wild. It is very nearly allied to P. Cerasus (g.v.\ and by 

 some authorities is not separated from it. 



Var. DUMOSA. When budded or grafted on low standards, this makes a 

 dwarf, round-headed tree, profuse in flower, and of very slow growth. A 

 charming tree for a small lawn, where it may stand for many years and 

 cause no inconvenience by over-growing. 



Var. SEMPERFLORENS (Cerasus semperflorens, De Candolle). All Saints 

 Cherry. This remarkable variety has been cultivated in gardens since the 

 eighteenth century, but its origin is not known. It is usually grafted on 

 standards of cherry, and thus makes a small round-headed tree, with pendent, 

 slender branches and curiously clustered twigs, which in the leafless state 

 render it easily distinguishable. The most interesting and attractive 

 thing about it is its method of flowering. It bears a small crop of blossom in 



