CHOKE CHERRY. 251 



this section and is an object of much interest on account of 

 its flowers and fruit. It is also a good timber tree. The 

 fruit is often used in a small way for making cherry brandy 

 and in flavoring- alcoholic liquors. Medicinal properties are 

 found in the bark especially in that of the branches and roots 

 and are readily yielded to cold water for owing to volatili- 

 zation and chemical change boiling water must not be used. 

 This extract contains hydrocyanic acid and is employed for 

 infusions, syrups and fluid extracts which are used as tonics 

 and sedatives in the treatment of pulmonary consumption and 

 nervous debility. Cattle have been frequently poisoned by 

 eating the wilted leaves. Children occasionally die from eat- 

 ing the kernels of the pits or by swallowing the fruit whole. 

 Fresh leaves are considered harmless as the poison is formed 

 by chemical action in the leaves after being separated from 

 the plant. The wood is valuable for cabinet making and fine 

 interior finishing and is in great demand on account of its 

 fine reddish brown color. 



Prunus virg-iniana. Choke Cherry. 



Leaves thin, broadly oval to oblong, usually abruptly 

 pointed. Flowers in racemes ( shorter and closer than in P. 

 serotina), appearing in June. Fruit ripens in summer, red, 

 turning dark crimson, astringent when first colored but later 

 loses much of its astringency and becomes sweet and edible. 

 A strong tree' with scented bark, rarely 30 feet high and gen- 

 erally short and crooked. ( In this section it is generally 

 covered with the excrescences called Black Knot, which are 

 caused by the fungus Plowrightia morbosa.) 



Distribution. From Labrador to British Columbia, north 

 to within the Arctic Circle and south to Georgia, Texas 

 and California. Very widely distributed. In Minnesota com- 

 mon throughout the state along banks of streams and lake- 

 shore. 



Propagation. Grown from seeds which should be strati- 

 fied over winter and sown in the spring. 



Properties of wood. Heavy, hard and close grained, but 

 not strong. It is light brown in color with a thick light 

 colored sapwood. The specific gravity 0.6951; weightof acubic 

 foot 43.42 pounds. 



