CHEEliY. 283 



consistent in every part, and we seldom, if ever, 

 see beautiful fruit and unattractive foliage. Our 

 present subject, at least, proves our rule, for the 

 leaf of the Cherry is as beautiful in its way as its 

 fruit. In shape it is nearly oval, but it is pointed 

 at the apex, and not quite equal at the base ; for 

 one of the parts into which the leaf is divided 

 by the mid-stem is slightly longer than the other. 

 The mid -stem, which, with the leaf -stalk that it 

 continues, is generally red in colour, is very pro- 

 minent on the under side of the leaf. From it 

 branch, in alternation, other prominent veins, 

 which observe a wavy course to the margin, near 

 which they are frequently forked. The spaces 

 formed between the principal branch veins are 

 traversed by an irregular series of thickened 

 veinlets which take no well-defined course, but 

 run sometimes from the mid- stem to meet other 

 and similar veinlets crossing from branch to 

 branch of the principal vein, and sometimes simply 

 cross the space from branch vein to branch vein. 

 The course of these thickened veins can be clearly 

 traced on the under side of the leaf or when 

 the latter is held against the light. The network 



