ROSE FAMILY 



pale green or reddish green and smooth, lenticular, later reddish 

 brown, finally become red brown or gray brown. Inner bark has a 

 pleasant and aromatic odor, bitter and aromatic to the taste. 



Wood. — Light brown or red, darkening with exposure ; light, 

 strong, close-grained, susceptible of a fine polish. Of great value 

 in cabinet work and interior finish of houses, now becoming scarce. 

 Sp. gr., 0.5822 ; weight of cu. ft., 36.28 lbs. 



Winter Buds. — Chestnut brown, obtuse, one-half to two-thirds of 

 an inch long. When spring growth begins the inner scales enlarge 

 and become one-half to two-thirds of an inch in length. 



Leaves. — Alternate, simple, oblong to lanceolate-oblong, two to 

 five inches long, an inch to an inch and a half broad, wedge-shaped 

 or rounded at base, serrate, edges often crinkled, gradually acumi- 

 nate or rarely rounded at apex. Feather-veined, midrib grooved 

 above, prominent beneath, primary veins slender. They come out 

 of the bud conduplicate, reddish green ; when full grown are deep 

 shining green above, paler beneath ; in autumn they turn a clear 

 bright yellow. Petioles slender, terete, often marked with dark red 

 glands. Stipules caducous. 



Flowers. — May, June, when leaves are half grown. Perfect, white, 

 about one-fourth of an inch across, borne in narrow, many-flowered 

 racemes three to four inches long. 



Calyx. — Cup-shaped tube, five-lobed, lobes obtuse, reflexed, per- 

 sistent, imbricate in bud. 



Corolla. — Petals five, white, obovate, inserted on the calyx tube, 

 imbricate in bud. 



Stamens. — Fifteen to twenty, inserted on the calyx tube with the 

 petals; filaments thread-like; anthers introrse, two-celled; cells 

 opening longitudinally. 



Pistil.— Ov2iry superior, one, set in the bottom of the calyx tube ; 

 stigma thick, club-shaped. 



7^;-7^zV.— Drupe, depressed-globular, one-third to one-half inch in 

 diameter, shining black skin, dark purple juicy flesh. Calyx lobes 

 persistent on the fruit. August, September. Stone oblong-ovate ; 

 cotyledons thick and fleshy. 



Wild cherry, they grow in clusters like grapes, of the same bigness, blackish 

 red when ripe, and of a harsh taste. 



— JossELYN. " New England Rarities." 



Prunus serotina is very generally known because of its cher- 

 ries. These cherries are flattened juicy globes the size of 

 large peas, with a shining black skin and dark purple flesh ; 

 borne in a somewhat straggling raceme. When ripe they are 

 slightly bitter with a pleasant vinous flavor and from the 

 standpoint of one who ate them in childhood delicious. When 



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