ORCHARDS. 143 



The cherry-tree is said to have been first brought 

 to Europe by Lucullus, from Asia Minor. A Ger- 

 man amateur (the Baron de Truckless) has brought 

 together, in his garden in Franconia, sixty-five spe- 

 cies of it. Besides the raw fruit, the cherry is much 

 employed in confitures, and gives also three liquors 

 in much request, the Kirschenwasser of Germany, 

 the Marrasquin of Venice, and a distilled but unfer- 

 mented liquor of the Rhine, having nothing in it 

 spirituous, and retaining only the watery and aro- 

 matic parts of the fruit. The cherry-tree dreads 

 cold or wet soils, nor does it succeed well in those 

 which are either hot or dry. Its outer skin differs 

 in its organization from that of other trees ; the 

 fibres are longer and stronger, and sometimes so 

 bind the woody part as to obstruct its growth. 

 Hence the practice of making shallow and longitu- 

 dinal cuts through the outer bark ; a practice, how- 

 ever, which, like pruning, ought to be skilfully per- 

 formed, otherwise the wound becomes gummy, 

 chancrous, and incurable.* 



The peach-tree is a native of Persia, where it 

 grows without cultivation. Its varieties are very 

 numerous, all of which are much influenced by cli- 

 mate and soil. In Europe it is only in the south 

 of France, in Italy, and in Spain, where you find 

 peaches that have reached the perfection of which 

 this fruit is susceptible ; and in similar climates here 

 we may, no doubt, have fruit equally good. Our 

 own climate (that of New- York) does not appear to 

 be favourable to its production. Our trees are often 

 sickly, and our peaches generally sour and watery, 

 and entirely destitute of that aroma which forms 

 the great excellence of this fruit. After these gen-, 



Nelis, Passe Colmar, Bezi Vait, Beurre d'Aremburgh, &c., 

 ripening in December; the Easter Beurre, Beurre Ranee, 

 Chaumohtelle, &c., as late winter and spring pears; and the 

 Cattilac, Chaptal, Bezi d'Hui, as good baking or stewing 

 pears. J. B. 

 * Cut only the outer or circular bark. J. B. 



