498 



The Plums and Cherries 



before or with the leaves in April or IMay, are 1.5 to 2.5 cm. across, in lateral, 

 vcn- scaly, short-stalked 2-to 5-flowered umbels, on smooth slender pedicels 2 to 

 4 cm. long; the calyx-tube is urn-shaped, smooth, its lobes rather broad, blunt, 

 minutely glandular-toothed and reflexed; the petals are broadly obovate, notched 

 at the apex. The fruit ripens in June and July, is nearly globular, 8 to 12 mm. in 

 diameter, red to black, without bloom; the flesh is juicy and acid, separating readily 

 from skin and stone. 



The fruit of the Sour cherr}-, as found growing wild, is usually too small and 

 sour to be much used; that of its cultivated forms, however, is well known and 

 highly valued for its agreeably acidulous taste and flavor. The wood is strong, 

 rather soft, close-grained and yellowish red; its specific gravity is about 0.87* It 

 is used like that of the Sweet cherry, from which it is not differentiated by wood 

 workers. 



14. SWEET CHERRY Prunus Avium Linnaeus 



Also called Bird, Crab, Wild, or Mazard cherr}^, this is native of Europe and 

 has long been extensively cultivated in many improved varieties; it is frequently 



spontaneous, usually from seed distributed 

 by birds, in open woods and along road- 

 sides and neglected fence rows. Its maxi- 

 mum height is about 21 meters, with a 

 trunk diameter of 1.2 meters. 



The trunk is tall and straight, with short, 

 stiff branches, forming an upright conic 

 rather close-headed tree. The bark is 8 to 

 10 mm. thick, covered by a rather smooth, 

 gray-brown, leathery outer layer, which is 

 roughened or fissured transversely, its edges 

 often rising, exposing the inner bark, which 

 then becomes more or less deeply furrowed 

 longitudinally. The twigs are stout, smooth, 

 gray to red-brown. The leaves are thick, 

 ovate, oval or somewhat obovate, 6 to 12 

 cm. long, abruptly short taper-pointed, 

 blunt or tapering at the base, irregularly saw-toothed, often doubly so, green and 

 smooth above, paler and hairy on the veins beneath; the leaf-stalk is slender, 

 smooth, 2 to 3 cm. long. The flowers, appearing with the leaves in April or May, 

 are 2.5 to 3 cm. across, in lateral, sessile, 3-to 5-flowTred umbels, on smooth slen- 

 der pedicels 3 to 6 cm. long, the calyx-tube urn-shaped, more or less red at the 

 top, the lobes oblong, blunt and reflexed; petals white, nearly orbicular, broadly 

 notched at the apex. The fruit of wild trees is globular or nearly so, 8 to 10 mm. 

 in diameter, dark red to nearly black, with a slight bloom; the flesh is sweet and 

 adheres to the globose stone. 



Fig. 458. Sweet Cherry. 



