THE CURRANT. 281 



red Morello, which is acid, and in moist seasons, is produced 

 for a considerable period successively. When grafted, as it 

 generally is, about the height of one's head, on a straight stem 

 of the common Mazzard, it forms a beautiful parasol-like top, 

 the ends of the branches weeping half way down to the ground. 



VIRGINIAN WILD CHERRY. 



Wild Cherry, of the United States. 

 Cerasus Virginiana. Arb. Brit. Dec. 

 Cerasier de Virginia. French. 

 Virginisch Kirscke. German. 



Our native wild cherry is too well known to need minute de- 

 scription. It forms a large and lofty forest tree, with glossy, 

 dark green leaves, and bears currant-like bunches of small 

 fruit, which are palatable, sweet, and slightly bitter when fully 

 ripe, at midsummer. They are, however, most esteemed for 

 preparing cherry bounce, a favourite liqueur in many parts of 

 the country, made by putting the fruit along with sugar in a 

 demijohn or cask of the best old rum. 



The black wild cherry, (C. serotina, Torrey and Gray,) which 

 ripens the first of September, is the best kind. The other spe- 

 cies, ( C. Virginiana,} which is commonly known as the Choke 

 Cherry, bears reddish coloured fruit, which is more astringent, 

 and ripens a month earlier. 



Selection of choice Cherries to ripen in succession. Early 

 Purple Guigne, Belle d'Orleans, Mayduke, Belle de Choisy, 

 Rockport, Bigarreau, Tartarian, Elton, Gov. W*ood, Coe's Trans- 

 parent, Great Bigarreau, Delicate, Downer's Late, Heine Hor- 

 tense, Belle Magnifique, Kentish. 



The hardiest cherries are the Kentish, (or Virginia May,) the 

 Dukes, and the Morello^. These succeed well at the farthest 

 limits, both north and south, in which the cherry can be raised ; 

 and when all other varieties fail, they may be depended on for 

 regular crops. Next .to these, in this respect, are the Black 

 Heart, Downer's Late, Early Purple Guigne, and Elton. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

 THE CURRANT. 



Kibes rubrum, Lin. Grossulacece, of botanists. 



GrossiUier commun, of the French ; Die Johannisleere, German ; Albesseboom, 

 Dutch ; Riles rosso, Italian ; and Grossella, Spanish. 



THE name currant is said to be derived from the resemblance 



