THE CHEERY 119 



countryin 1669, commanding the preservation of all Clierry- 

 trees in the royal forests. The consequence of this was 

 that the forests became so full of fruit-trees, that there was 

 no longer room for the underwood, — when they were all cut 

 down, except such young ones as were included among the 

 number of standard saplings required by the law to be left 

 to secure a supply. This measure was a great calamity to 

 the poor, who, during several months of the year, lived 

 either directly or indirectly on the fruit. Soup made of 

 Cherries, with a little bread and a little butter, was the 

 common nourishment of the wood-cutters and charcoal- 

 burners of the forest. Of late years the practice of planting 

 Cherry-trees by the roadside has been extensively adopted 

 in Germany ; and one may now travel from Strasburg to 

 Munich, a distance of two hundred and fifty miles, through 

 an avenue of Cherries, interspersed with Walnuts, Plums, 

 and Pears. By far the greater part of the first are un- 

 grafted trees, which succeed in the poorest soil, and in the 

 coldest and most elevated situations, A large portion of 

 the tract of country which bears the name of Black Forest 

 is an elevated, irregular surface, with no other wood than 

 the Cherry-trees, which have been planted by the roadside. 



Cherries are preserved in various ways. Sometimes 

 they are simply dried in the sun, in which state they are 

 much used for puddings : they are also preserved in 

 brandy, or converted into marmalade, lozenges, &c. Fer- 

 mented and distilled, they furnish the liqueurs called 

 Eatafia, Kirschwasser, and Maraschino. Wine and vinegar 

 are also made from them ; and an oil is extracted from the 

 kernels, which is used to give the flavour of bitter almonds 

 to puddings, &c. ; the leaves are also used for the same 

 purpose. 



From the bark of the Cherry-tree an elastic but not very 

 viscid gum exudes, which is said to have many of the 

 properties of gum-arabic.^ Hasselquist relates that more 



1 Auy excessive flow of gum is verj^ injurious to the tree ; and, 

 indeed, in time proves fatal. 



