Handbook of Trees of the ISTortiiern States and Canada. 



263 



The Sweet or ^lazzard Cliorry is the most 

 abundant of the intriiduci',! ami naturalized 

 Ciierries. It is a niucli hirger tree tlian the 

 allied Sour Clierry, sometimes attaining the 

 height of from 50 to 75 ft. with rounded 

 pyramidal top while young, having a central 

 leader, but with age usually becoming wide- 

 spreading. The trunks are vested in a smooth 

 reddish brown laminated bark peeling ofT in 

 transverse strips, and only on very large trunks, 

 which are sometimes 2 or 3 ft. or more in 

 diameter, does it lose its laminated character 

 and s!iow a tendency to low scaly ridges. Its 

 native land is thought to be regions bordering 

 on the Caspian Sea, but it is now widely 

 naturalized throughout southern Europe and 

 a considerable portion of eastern United 

 States. The garden Cherries of which there 

 are many kinds are derived almost without 

 exception from this and the allied Sour Cherry. 

 Those which have their parentage in this 

 species have generally distinctly sweeter fruit 

 than the others and include the Black Tar- 

 tarian, Bald Eagle, May Duke, Windsor, Na- 

 poleon, etc. Varieties of the tree of special 

 value for ornament rather than for fruit have 

 been introduced, as forms having respectively 

 very large leaves, pyramidial habit, pendulous 

 branches, leaves variegated witli yellow oi 

 white, double flowers, etc. From the fruit of 

 the wild tree in Europe a cordial is made and 

 from its trunk exudes a useful gum. 



Its wood in Europe is A'alued for the manu- 

 facture of furniture, musical instruments, etc.. 

 and in turnery.' 



fAiirrx ovate-ohlonsr. slishtly ohovate, mostly 

 rounded at base and aliruptly acuminate at apex, 

 irrogularly serrate, conduplicate in the l)nd and 

 puliescent at first Init finally thin, limp and droop- 

 inf». dull dark green above, pubescent at least on 

 the veins lieneath. Flnu-rrs expandin.s; with the 

 leaves, white, about 1 in. across in scaly umbels 

 on short lateral spurs pedicels sl(>nder. Fruit 

 depressed cloliular or heart-shaped, from yellow 

 to dark red with generally .iuicy sweet flesh and 

 globose pit.' 



1. A. W., Ill, 50. 



2. For genus see pp. 440-441. 



