PRUSSIC ACID IN WILD CHERRY LEAVES 



BY CHARLES D. HOWARD 



In order to obtain some definite knowledge — of which hith- 

 erto, so far as we can ascertain, there seems to have been none 

 — of the amount of poisonous principle yielded by the diflerent 

 species of cherry leaves, and the conditions, if any, favoring 

 such yield, a somewhat detailed investigation has been made, 

 the work of which extended over portions of the past two sum- 

 mers, including Jul3' and the first part of August of each year. 



There are five members of the cherry familj^ which occur 

 wild in New Hampshire. To name them as nearly as possible 

 in the order of frequency of occurrence, they are : The Wild 

 Black Cherry {^Prunus serotina)^ the Choke Cherry {Prunus 

 Virginiana)^ the Wild Red Cherry { Pru?zus Pennsylvanicd),, 

 the Wild Yellow or " Horse" Plum {Prumis Afnericand)^ 

 and the Dwarf Cherry ( Priaius fufnila) . 



The first two species are of quite common occurrence in all 

 parts of the state; the wild red cherry is very common in the 

 mountainous sections, less so in the southern portion of the 

 state ; the wild plum is of rarer occurrence, while the dwarf 

 cherry, according to Hitchcock,* has been found only in the 

 town of Campton. 



The leaves of the last named species were not examined, 

 though there would seem to be every reason for considering 

 them dangerous. Investigation showed the leaves of the wild 

 plum, as well as those of the cultivated plum, to be harmless. 

 This is not to be wondered at, as while both species belong to 

 the same general famil}', they are of a different type from the 

 true cherry. 



The least poisonous of the three principal species is the wild 



* Geology of New Hampshire. 



