riir: 



flesh deep red, tender, jui'^y, arul 

 blended with an agreeable acid ; ripe 

 in July, and hangs some lime on the 

 tree. This variety is excellent for 

 preserves and lor brandy. 



The fruit appears on spurs pro- 

 duced on branches two and three 

 years old ; the spurs are formed year 

 by year along the bearing branches : 

 the morello on the last year"s shoots, 

 and seldom on that three years old. 

 Cherry-trees, unless topped, become 

 very liigh, and require 30 to 40 feet 

 between them. 



Diseases. — Exudation of gum is 

 cured by improving the soil, and pru- 

 ning less carelessly. The aphis, of a 

 green colour, is often troublesome, 

 causing the leaves to curl, and pro- 

 ducing, according to some naturalists, 

 hurtey drw. Fumigations with tobac- 

 co, "sulphur, and pepper are recom- 

 mended, as well as washing by a gar- 

 den engine, and throwing up tobacco 

 infusion. The red spider is removed 

 by the same means. It is, however, 

 a healthy tree, and less subject to 

 disease than many others. The trunk 

 is sometimes attacked by borers. 



CHERRY, WILD. Prunus Vir- 

 giniana. This tree is found as far 

 north as Maine, but reaches perfec- 

 tion m rich lands in the Middle States, 

 especially Pennsylvania ; and also in 

 Virginia and Ohio. Trees have been 

 measured 100 feet high and 16 in 

 girth. The wood is brown, bright, 

 and, near branches, well marked. It 

 is much used for cabinet purposes, 

 and is durable. The fruit is small 

 and bitter, but flavoured like ratatia, 

 from the presence of oil of bitter al- 

 monds, and is sometiines mixed with 

 morello cherries for the manufacture 

 of cherry brandy and cordials. The 

 young tree is an excellent stock for 

 budding or grafting. The bark, infu- 

 sed in water, forms a popular tonic 

 and nervous remedy. For other va- 

 rieties, see Prunus. 



CHERT. A silicious mineral re- 

 sembling flint. 



CHERVIL. Chaerophyllum sati- 

 vum. A pot-herb reseml)ling pars- 

 ley, used by the French and Dutch in 

 soups and as salads. The seeds are 

 154 



CI II-: 



sown in spring, in drills eight inches 

 apart, the plants thinned to eight inch- 

 es apart, and kept free of weeds. Il 

 flowers in the fall. 



C11ES8EL. The cheese vat. It 

 is made of white oak, bound by iron 

 hoops, and perforated with holes to 

 allow the whev to drain out. 



CHEST FdCNDER. An irrita- 

 tion or inflammation of the mem- 

 branes in the chest. See Horse. 



CHESTNUT. The American 

 chestnut {Castanca Amerieana) very 

 nearly resembles the famous Europe- 

 an tree {Castanea vesea), except in its 

 altitude and the size of the fruit. The 

 European, also called the Spanish or 

 Italian chestnut, is of immen.se size 

 and longevity, trees being known 

 which have a girth of 60 feet. The 

 wood, except in very old trees, is ad- 

 mirable, being more durable than oak 

 in moist situations. The bark is also 

 used in tanning. It prefers a dry, 

 loose soil, abounding in silicious mat- 

 ter and potash. 



The European variety is easily rais- 

 ed from seed, grows rapidly, and bears 

 in seven years. The fruit is five limes 

 larger than that of ours, and com- 

 mands a good price in the market. 

 Chestnuts are used boiled, roasted, 

 and raw. In Southern France, Italy, 

 &c., they constitute the bread of a 

 large population. j\Iichaux gives the 

 following directions for the cultiva- 

 tion of the chestnut : 



" After the ground has been care- 

 fully loosened with the plough and 

 harrow, lines are drawn six feet 

 apart, in which holes about a foot in 

 depth and diameter are formed, at the 

 distances of four feet. A chestnut is 

 placed in each corner of the hole, 

 and covered with about three inches 

 of earth. As the soil has been thor- 

 oughly subdued, the nuts will spring 

 and strike root with facility. Early 

 in the second year, three of the young 

 plants are removed from each hole, 

 and only the most thriving is left. 

 The third or fourth year, when the 

 branches begin to interfere with each 

 other, every second tree is suppress- 

 ed. To ensure its success, the plan- 

 tation should be begun in March or 



