PRUSSIC ACID IN WILD CHERRY LEAVES 



I I 



long racemes, considerably later than Prunus Virghiiajia ; purplish 

 black, bitterish, vinous fruit ripening in autumn.'" 



The edge of the leaf, especially, is very characteristic, and 

 serves to distinguish it from the choke species. The teeth of 

 the latter's leaf are long, f\^ 



straight, and extremely ' . 



sharp, while those of the ' 1'/'-% 



black cherry are short, and 



the outer edee of each tooth is , i 



invariably curved. (Fig. 3.) ^'^ -i'^ 





t«k. 



\ 



\. 





a. From full grown shrub. 



;-9 





b. Common type from young shoots. 



Fig. 2. — Leaves of Choke Cherry. Full size. 



In this section of the state it is probably the most common 

 of the three species, and when not kept down, is to be found 

 growing beside every wall, where it serves as a favorite base 

 of operations for the tent caterpillar. 



The poisonous property of all species of cherry leaves is due 

 to hydrocyanic acid, popularly known as prussic acid. This 



