THE CHERRY. 447 



in a season, and are admirably adapted for covering walls and un- 

 sightly buildings. The flowers are like small double roses, and are pro- 

 duced in numerous clusters in June, having a very pretty effect. North 

 of New York these climbers are rather tender in severe winters. 



The ROSE FLOWERING BRAMBLE (JRubus odoratus) is a very pretty 

 native shrub, with large broad leaves, and pleasing rose-colored flowers, 

 and groups well with other shrubs in ornamental plantations. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



THE CHERRY. 



Cerasus sylvestris, and O. vulgaris, Arb. Brit. Rosacece, of botanists. 

 Cerisier, of the French ; Kirschenbaum, German ; Ciriego, Italian ; Cerezo^ 



Spanish. 



THE Cherry is a fine, luxuriant fruit-tree, with smooth, light-colored 

 bark, and generally of rapid growth. The varieties of the black and 

 heart-shaped cherries are always vigorous, and form fine large spreading 

 heads, forty or fifty feet in height ; but those of the acid or red cherry 

 are of lower, more bushy, and tardy growth. In the spring the cherry- 

 tree is profusely covered with clusters of snow-white blossoms, and 

 earlier in summer than upon any other tree, these are followed by abun- 

 dant crops of juicy, sweet, or acid fruit, hanging upon long stalks, and 

 enclosing a smooth stone 



The Cherry comes originally from Asia,, and the Roman general, 

 Lucullus, after a victorious expedition into Pontus, has the reputation 

 of having brought it to Italy from Cerasus, a town in that province, in 

 the year 69 B.C. According to Pliny, the Romans, 100 years after 

 this, had eight varieties in cultivation, and they were soon afterwards 

 carried to all parts of Europe. The seeds of the cultivated cherry were 

 brought to this country very early after its settlement, both from Eng- 

 land and Holland. 



USES. As a pleasant and refreshing dessert fruit, the cherry is 

 everywhere highly esteemed. The early season at which it ripens, its 

 juiciness, delicacy, and richness, render it always acceptable. While the 

 large and fleshy varieties are exceedingly sweet and luscious, others which 

 are more tender, and more or less acid, are very valuable for pies, tarts, 

 and various kinds of cookery. The fruit of the Kentish or Early Rich- 

 mond is excellent when stoned and dried, and the Mazzard, and our wild 

 Virginia cherries, are used to give a flavor to brandy. When canned 

 they retain their character and are very delicious. The Dukes or Mo- 

 rellos are best for the purpose. 



The celebrated German Iirscliwasser is made by distilling the liquor 

 of the common black mazzard or gean (in which the stones are ground 

 and broken, and fermented with the pulp), and the delicious Ratafia cor- 

 dial of Grenoble is also made from this fruit. Maraschino, the most 

 celebrated liqueur of Italy, is distilled from a small gean or mazzard 

 with which, in fermenting, honey and the leaves and kernels of the fruii 

 are mixed. 



