P RU 



OR, BOTANICAL DICTIONARY. 



PR U 



409 



in woods in Scotland. This and the next, with the twenty- 

 ninth species, are easily propagated either by seeds or layers. 

 Sow the seeds in the autumn upon a bed or border of good 

 ground, in the same way as Cherry stones designed for 

 stocks. Treat the plants also in the same manner, planting 

 them out in a nursery, where they may stand two years to 

 get strength ; and then transplant them to the places where 

 they are to remain. These are usually intermixed with other 

 flowering trees and shrubs in ornamental plantations. For 

 layers, the young shoots should be laid down in the autumn: 

 these will have good roots in twelve months, when they may 

 be separated from the old plants, and transplanted into a 

 nursery for a year or two to get strength, and may then be 

 removed to the places where they are to grow. 



2. Primus Rnbra ; Cornish or Red Bird Cherry Tree. 

 Flowers in upright racemes; leaves deciduous, even, biglan- 

 dular at the base. This has often been confounded with 

 the preceding, but, when raised from seed, always retains 

 a difference. The leaves are shorter, broader, and not so 

 rough. The flowers grow in closer shorter spikes, standing 

 more erect. Its native place is doubtful. It is propagated 

 like the preceding species. 



3. Prunus Virginiana ; Common American Bird Cherry 

 Tree. Flowers in racemes; leaves deciduous, glandular at 

 the base in front. This tree rises with a thick stem from 

 ten to thirty feet high, dividing into many branches, which 

 have a dark purple bark. The fruit is later than that of the 

 preceding species; it is black when ripe, and is soon devoured 

 by birds. The wood is beautifully veined with black and 

 white, and will polish well : hence it is in considerable esteem 

 for cabinet work. Linneus thought this to be the offspring 

 of the Common Bird Cherry, but the warts on the branches 

 are double the size. Native of North America. 



4. Prunus Canadensis; Canadian Bird Cherry Tree. Flow- 

 ers in racemes ; leaves deciduous, without glands, wide-lan- 

 ceolate, wrinkled, pubescent on both sides. Native of North 

 America. 



5. Prunus Caroliniana; Evergreen Carolina Cherry Tree. 

 Flowers in racemes; leaves evergreen, oblong, lanceolate, 

 serrate, without glands. It does not exceed the height of 

 three feet in England. It flowers in May; and the leaves 

 retain their lucid verdure all the year. Native of South Ca- 

 rolina, from whence the seeds were sent by the name of 

 Bastard Mahogany, from the colour of the wood. It should 

 be planted in a warm situation, sheltered from severe frost 

 whilst young : when it has acquired strength, it will thrive 

 very well in the open ground in sheltered situations. It may 

 be propagated in the same way as the eighth species, and the 

 branches will take root if laid down. 



6. Prunus Oocidentalis ; West Indian Laurel. Flowers 

 in lateral racemes; leaves perennial, without glands, oblong, 

 acuminate, entire, smooth on both sides. Native of the 

 West Indies. 



7. Prunus Spheerocarpa ; Globe-fruited Laurel. Flowers 

 in axillary racemes ; leaves evergreen, without glands, entire, 

 shining; drupes roundish. Trunk covered with a gray smooth 

 bark ; wood very hard and white. Native of Jamaica, &c. 



8. Prunus Lusitanica; Portugal Laurel. Flowers in 

 racemes ; leaves evergreen, ovate-lanceolate, serrate, without 

 glands. This rises with a strong tree-like stem to the height 

 of twenty feet or more, sending out many branches, covered 

 with a shining purplish bark on every side. It flowers in 

 June, and the berries ripen in October; and will be devoured 

 by birds, unless immediately gathered. It is one of the most 

 beautiful evergreen shrubs which we have in our plantations, 

 especially when planted in a loose moist soil. The branches 



with their purple bark, the shining evergreen leaves, and 

 the long racemes of white flowers, altogether make a tine 

 appearance. It seldom sustains any injury from the severest 

 cold of our winters, although it was originally brought from 

 Portugal, where it is called Azoureiro ; hence there is not 

 any shrub more worthy of propagation. It will grow upon 

 almost any soil, but best in a gentle loam, neither very wet 

 nor remarkably dry; as in either of those cases the plants 

 never appear in full beauty. It may be propagated and 

 transplanted in the same way and at the same time as the 

 next species, (which see.) If the cuttings be planted in the 

 way as directed for the latter, they will take root very freely ; 

 or the young branches, if laid down in the autumn, will take 

 root in one year, and may (hen be removed into a nursery, 

 where they may grow a year or two to get strength, and after 

 that may be transplanted to where they are to remain. But 

 although both these methods are very expeditious, it would 

 be better to raise them from the berries, especially where they 

 are designed for tall standards : for the plants which are pro- 

 pagated by cuttings and layers, put out more lateral branches 

 and become bushy, but are not so well inclined to grow up- 

 right as those which come from seeds : and as there are now 

 numbers of these trees in our gardens producing abundance 

 of these berries every year, if they be only guarded from birds 

 till they are ripe, there will be a sufficient supply for their 

 propagation. 



9. Prunus Laurocerasus ; Common Laurel. Flowers in 

 racemes ; leaves evergreen, biglandular at the back. This 

 differs from the preceding species in having the twigs and 

 petioles green, whereas in that they are of a reddish brown. 

 The leaves of this are of a yellowish green colour, whereas 

 the upper surface of the leaves in the Portugal Laurel is very 

 dark. Laurel leaves have a bitter styptic taste, accompanied 

 with a flavour resembling that of bitter almonds, or other 

 kernels of the drupaceous fruits : the flowers also manifest 

 a similar flavouj. The powdered leaves excite sneezing, 

 though not so strongly as tobacco. The kernel-like flavour 

 which the fresh leaves impart being generally esteemed grate- 

 ful, has caused them to be used for culinary purposes, as in 

 custards, puddings, blancmange, &c. and as the proportion 

 of this sapid matter of the leaf is commonly inconsiderable, 

 probably little or no bad effect may be generally produced ; 

 but since the poisonous quality of these leaves has been long 

 unquestionably proved, those who prepare viands for the 

 public palate ought not to run the risk of poisoning their 

 unwary customers. Many country people, says Meyrick, 

 make a practice of boiling a few Laurel-leaves in the milk 

 which they make their custards, puddings, &c. of, to which 

 it communicates an agreeable flavour. But this practice, it 

 is hoped, will be laid aside, when it is known they are of a 

 very poisonous nature. A distilled water strongly impreg- 

 nated with their flavour, given in the quantity of four ounces 

 to a very large mastiff dog, in a few minutes brought on the 

 most terrible convulsions, and in less than an hour put an end 

 to his life. Dogs have likewise been killed by much smaller 

 quantities of the distilled water, an infusion of the leaves, or 

 their juice ; and there are some instances of liquors flavoured 

 with the leaves of this tree proving fatal to human subjects. 

 Dr. Cullen observes, that the sedative property of this plant 

 acts upon the nervous system, upon a different manner from 

 Opium, and other narcotic substances, the primary action 

 of which attacks the animal functions ; for this poison does 

 not occasion sleep, but produces local inflammation, and 

 seems to act directly upon the vital powers. This tree may 

 be easily propagated by seeds, or by planting cuttings ; the 

 best time for the latter is in September, as soon as the 



