ON THE CULTURE OF THE PRUNUS PSEUDO-CERASUS. 297 



vegetating, but owing to what cause I am at present ignorant. I do 

 not however doubt of better future success, or that numerous varieties 

 of this species of cherry will be readily obtained from seedling plants. 



I intended to have obtained a very early crop of cherries from the old 

 tree in the present year, and for that purpose I had placed it in the 

 open air, to winter, in the autumn ; proposing to introduce it into the 

 stove in November. But unfortunately going from home for a few days 

 just before the time when I proposed to introduce it into the pine-stove, 

 two very severe frosty nights occurred, which so much injured the 

 blossom-buds, which were very far advanced, that they all fell off 

 abortively, as those of a peach-tree would certainly have done under 

 similar circumstances. The tree, however, did not sustain further injury, 

 and I believe that the species will be found quite hardy enough to succeed 

 in the open air, if trained to a wall. It is much disposed to vegetate 

 very early in the spring; and thence its blossoms, like those of the apricot- 

 tree, will probably require some protection. This highly -excitable habit 

 seems to indicate a plant of a cold climate, probably that of Tartary ; 

 and I am inclined to think that it will ripen its fruit very early in the 

 open air in this country. 



In the last summer, and in the present year, I have supplied the old 

 plant rather freely with manure in a liquid state ; and it is now growing 

 with very great vigour, and will afford me a large number of buds and 

 cuttings. Being wholly ignorant of the habits of the species, and fearful 

 of destroying the only tree I possessed, I proceeded with much more 

 caution than usual in the use of liquid manure ; for I generally use it 

 very freely, and without apprehension of ill effects, experience having 

 satisfied me that plants of all kinds, even heaths*, very often perish 

 through want of food, and that they very rarely suffer from excess of it, 

 when their roots are confined to the narrow limits of a pot. 



* A plant of heath (Erica australis, I believe) was placed under my care in the spring of 1823, 

 with a request that I would treat it in any way I wished. It was then about eight inches high, 

 and growing in a small quantity of peat earth and sand ; and in that it continued to grow with 

 very little increase of size till the following spring. From that period it was regularly supplied 

 \\ith water, which, though clear, was considerably tinged with an infusion of pigeon's dung. 

 I was apprehensive this kind of food would prove fatal to it ; but far from this being the result, 

 the plant grew with excessive health and vigour, emitting very numerous branches, eight of 

 which exceeded eighteen inches each in length. It was then taken away by the owner of it, 

 and I have not since seen or heard of it, but it left me in a state of luxuriant health. How far 

 other species of this genus will bear being thus abundantly fed with liquid manure, is an 

 interesting question to the gardener. 



