AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



295 



Cerastiiun continued. 



C. tomentosum (downy). fl. white; cymes forked, on erect 

 stalks. Early summer. I. oblonsj-spathulate, upper ones lanceo- 

 late, densely clothed with a greyish tomentum. h. 6in. Southern 

 and Eastern Europe, 1648. This evergreen species is largely 

 employed in almost all gardens for edgings to summer flower- 

 beds, Ac. (S. F. G. 455.) 

 CERASUS (said to have been first brought from 



Cerasus. a town in Pontus, in Asia). Cherry. ORD. 



Rosacece. Hardy deciduous or evergreen shrubs and trees. 



FIG. 403A. FLOWERING BRANCH OF CERASUS ILICIFOL 



Flowers white; pedicels one-flowered, rising before the 

 leaves in fascicled umbels from scaly buds, but sometimes 

 rising after the evolution of the leaves in racemes from 

 the tops of the branches. Drupe globose or nmbilicate 

 at the base, fleshy, quite glabrous, destitute of bloom, 

 containing a smooth, rather globose, compressed stone. 

 Leaves, when young, condnplicate. By far the larger 

 number of the species are deciduous, but two very 

 important ones are evergreen, viz., the common Laurel 

 (C. Laurocerasus), with its numerous varieties, and the 

 Portugal Laurel (C. lusitanica). The various species and 

 varieties are propagated by seeds, cuttings, grafting, or 

 budding. The seeds should be sown in autumn, in beds, 

 or they may be kept till spring. Cuttings should be 

 bedded in a semi-shady position, in autumn, or not later 



Cerasus continued. 



than February, some sharp sand being added to the Boil. 



For culture, &c., of the edible-fruited kinds, see Cherry. 



C. Avinm (birds'). Wild Cherry, or Gean. fl. rising with the leaves 

 bud oblong, acute, destitute of leafy scales. April and Mav.' 

 fr. roundish-ovate, depressed, black ; flesh adhering to the stone, 

 very succulent and sugary, the juice usually coloured. I. oval- 

 lanceolate, pointed, serrated, somewhat pendent, slightly pu- 

 bescent on the under side, and furnished with two glands at the 

 base. A. 20ft to 40ft. England. Deciduous. 



C. A. multiplex (double-flowered).* fl. smaller than the type, 

 ovate, bearing two or three glands at the base. 



C. Caproniana.* Common Cherry, fl, rising with the leaves ; 

 calyx huge, campanulate ; peduncles usually thick, stiffen, not 

 long. Spring, fr. globose, depressed, with the suture hardly 

 depressed ; flesh soft, more or less acid and styptic. I. oval- 

 lanceolate, toothed, glabrous, h. 15ft. to 20ft. Europe. Small 

 tree, with spreading branches. Of this deciduous species, innu- 

 merable varieties have been raised. The most important of the 

 fruit-bearing sorts will be found described under Cherry. The 

 double-flowered variety (multiplex) is very showy, and useful for 

 forcing and for shrubberies (SYN. C. ranunculiflora). (F. d. S. 1805.) 



C. oarollnlana (Carolina).* /I. rather large ; racemes axillary, 

 dense, shorter than the leaves. May. fr. nearly globose, 

 mucronate. /. evergreen, on short petioles, oblong-lanceolate, 

 mucronate, smooth, rather coriaceous, almost entire. North 

 America, 1759. 



C. Chamaecerasus. Ground Cherry, fl. umbellate; umbels 

 usually sessile ; peduncles longer than the leaves when in fruit 

 May. fr. round, reddish-purple, very acid. 1. obovate, shining, 

 crenated, bluntish, quite glabrous, rather coriaceous, hardly 

 glandular, h. 2ft. to 4ft. Europe, 1597. Deciduous. There is 

 a creeping form, jxvitiuta, and another with varieuated leaves. 



C. depressa (depressed), fl. white: umbels few-flowered, sessile- 

 aggregate. May. jr. ovate. /. lanceolate-cuneated, a little 

 serrated, glabrous, glaucous beneath. Branches angular, 

 depressed, prostrate. North America, 1805. Deciduous. The 

 correct name of this plant is Primus pumila. 



C. duracina (hard).* fl. white, rising with the leaves ; peduncles 

 long, slender. April, fr. heart-shaped ; suture much depressed, 

 rarely almost obsolete ; flesh hard and brittle. Branches ascending 

 when young, but in the adult state hardly spreading, h. 10ft. to 

 20ft A large, deciduous tree. Sv.s. Prunttg Cerasu* Binarella. 

 It is probable that this species, crossed with ('. Ari.m, has 

 produced the Bigarreau and Heart Cherries. 



C. ilicifolia (H lly-leaved). fl. white, small, in racemes in. to 

 2in. Ion;;. March to May. jr. large, in. or more thick, usually 

 red, sometimes dark purple or black. California. An ornamental 

 shrub, with shining dark evergreen foliage; excellent for corridor 

 or conservatory. In the open air, it requires a wall, and xtra 

 shelter during winter. See Fig. 403A. SYN. Pmnus ilicifolia. 



C. Juliana (St. Julian'sl. fl. rising with the leaves. /.-. ovate, 

 depressed, heart shaped ; flesh sweet, rather soft. Branches 

 ascending when young, but when in an adult state hardly 

 spreading, h. 20ft. to 40ft. South Europe. The varieties of this 

 deciduous species frequently, and probably correctly, classed as 

 forms of C. Aviumnre known as Guignien, or Heaumiers. 



Fio. 404. BRANCHLET OF CERASUS LAUROCERASUS. 



Common LaureL fl, white; 

 shorter than the leaves. April and May. /r. ovate, acute. 

 I. ovate-lanceolate, remotely-serrated, furnished with two or 

 four glands beneath, h. 6ft to 10ft Levant, 1629. Evergreen 

 shrub. See Fig. 404. The following varieties are found in 

 gardens, and are all useful for extensive planting in shrubberies 

 or woodlands: angustifolia (narrow-leaved); camettvxtfolia (Ca- 

 mellia-leaved) ; caucasiea (Caucasian) ; colchica (Colchican), very 

 useful ; rotundifolia (round-leaved), and tariegata (variegated 

 leaved). 



