262 NATURAL HISTORY. 



varieties. The fruit is used largely, either fresh, dried, 

 or preserved with sugar. In Europe a kind of brandy 

 is distilled from the juice, and the wood is employed in 

 fine cabinet work. h. 



The Wild Bullace Tree (Prunus institia) is a shrub, 

 or small tree ; branches somewhat spiny ; leaves ovate- 

 lanceolate; pubescent- villous beneath; fruit black and 

 globular; drupe rounder and smaller than the above 

 mentioned species. Is the original of highly cultivated 

 species, known in Germany by the names of Renkloden, 

 Mirabel, and Cybart. Brought from Europe to the 

 United States ; naturalized on the banks of Charles 

 River, in Cambridge, road-sides at Cohasset, and other 

 places in the vicinity of Boston. 77. 



The Black Thorn Sloe (Prunus spinosa), Pursch. 

 A thorny shrub, ranging in height from six to twelve 

 feet ; leaves, obovate, elliptical ; flowers, solitary, white ; 

 fruit scarcely as large as a hazel-nut ; drupe globous ; 

 pulp somewhat harsh to the taste ; not ripe until winter, 

 in which season only it can be eaten. In Europe, wine 

 is made from the fruit, which tastes like port wine, and 

 is of a beautiful red color. The flowers are used as tea ; 

 not only as a beverage, but are considered useful in puri- 

 fying the blood, h. 



The Cherry (Prunus cerasus), Juss. The cherry tree 

 is often forty feet in height, with smooth, grayish-black 

 bark ; leaves, oval oblong, unequally notched, or serrate, 

 abruptly pointed ; branches spreading ; flowers white ; 

 fruit globular, hanging in small pedicels of from two to 

 three. Originally, the fruit of this tree was not larger 

 than peas, as is still the case with the Wild Cherry 

 (Prunus avium), De Cand., which many naturalists de- 

 scribe as a peculiar genus. Drupes globous and fleshy ; 



