260 SELECT PLANTS FOR INDUSTRIAL CULTURE 



for orchard culture, though they may also become enlarged by 

 artificial treatment. 



Primus ilicifolia, Nuttall. 



California. In deep rich soil, valuable for evergreen hedges 

 of intricate growth. Fruit about \ inch diameter, red or 

 black, of a pleasant sub-acid flavour, but somewhat astringent 

 (Gibbons) . 



Prunus Mahaleb, Linne. 



Middle and South Europe. It deserves some attention on 

 account of its scented seeds and also odorous wood, the latter 

 used in turnery for pipes and other articles. The flowers are 

 in use for perfumes. 



Prunus maritima, Wangenheim. 



The Beach Plum of North America. A shrubby species, of 

 service, not only for covering coast-sands, but also for its fruit, 

 which is crimson or purple, globular, and measuring from \ 

 to 1 inch. It is not necessary to enter here any notes on 

 the generally known species of Prunus, which have engaged 

 already for years the keen attention of many orchard cultiva- 

 tors. Cherry Tree bark contains 24 per cent, tannin, that of 

 the Apricot tree 32 per cent. (Muspratt). Thus, we possess 

 numerous varieties of the Cherry, P. avium (L.) and P. 

 Cerasus (L.) ; of the Plum, P. domestica (L.) ; of the Apricot, 

 P. Armeniaca (L.) ; and of the Cherry Plum, P. myrobalana 

 (L.) the latter Canadian, the others European and Oriental. 

 Information on these and other varieties may be sought in 

 " Hogg's Eruit Manual/'' The Almond (Amygdalus commu- 

 nis, L.) and the Peach (Amygdalus Persica, L.) belong also 

 generically to Prunus, as indicated in 1812 by Stokes (" Bot. 

 Mat. Med./' iii. 101) and in 1813 by F. G. Hayne (" Arznei- 

 Gewachse/' iv. 38), and finally settled by J. D. Hooker (Benth. 

 and Hook., gen. pi. i. 610), for which, therefore, now the 

 names P. Amygdalus and P. Persica should be adopted. The 

 latter came originally from China, while P. Armenica seems 

 indigenous to the Caucasian regions and perhaps the Hima- 

 layas, and P. Cerasus originated from West Asia. 



Prunus serotina, Ehrhart. 



The Black Cherry Tree of North America. Fruit slightly 

 bitter, but with a pleasant vinous flavour ; wood valuable for 

 cabinet and sash makers (A. Gray) . In Virginia the tree attains 

 a height of 100 feet, with a stem 4 feet in diameter; it prefers 



