WILD CHERRY TREE, OR GEAN. 59 



vated Cherry, whether it was in reality brought from Asia 

 into Italy by Lucullus, nearly two thousand years ago, as 

 Pliny relates, or originated, as others suppose, in some 

 other part of Europe from the Wild Cherry, we shall not 

 stop to discuss, but proceed at once to the consideration 

 of that species, which, under the names Primus avium 

 of Linn., and Cerasus sylvestris, Ray, &c, and known to 

 us by the various local names of the Wild Black Cherry, 

 the Gean, Merries, Merry-tree, is allowed to be indi- 

 genous in many parts of continental Europe, and consi- 

 dered also by many to be so in England as well as in 

 Scotland. By such of our writers as have mentioned 

 the Wild Cherry, it has been treated more in the light 

 of an ornamental and fruit tree, than as one to be culti- 

 vated for the sake of its timber. Evelyn's notice of it 

 is short, and scarcely alludes to the quality of the wood 

 and the uses to which it is applicable ; by more recent 

 authors, (with the exception of Boucher, who inserts it 

 in his list of forest-trees in terms of high commendation,) 

 and in the various treatises that have been published of late 

 years respecting the planting and management of timber 

 trees with a view to profit, the Cherry is entirely omitted 

 and lost sight of, a circumstance at which we cannot but 

 express surprise, considering the magnitude the tree attains, 

 the value of its wood, and the various purposes to which 

 it is applicable, both for in-door and out-of-door purposes. 



Our attention has been directed to this tree for some 

 years past, in consequence of certain facts that came to 

 our knowledge, respecting the durability of its wood when 

 exposed to the alternation of moisture and dryness ; and 

 after having viewed it in its respective bearings, viz. that 

 of a tree calculated to produce timber of considerable mag- 

 nitude and excellent quality, as one well adapted to plant 



