210 ORIGIN OF CULTIVATED PLANTS. 



this rich Rbman, in the year 65 B.C. Since this error is 

 perpetuated by its incessant repetition in classical schools, 

 it must once more be said that cherry trees (at least the 

 bird-cherry) existed in Italy before Lucullus, and that 

 the famous gotz/rmet did not need to go far to seek the 

 species with sour or bitter fruit; I have no doubt that 

 he pleased the Romans with a good variety cilltivaifed 

 in the Pontus, and that cultivators hastened to propagate 

 it by grafting, but Lucullus' share in the matter was 

 confined' to this. 



From what is now known of Kerasurit and the 

 ancient names of the cherry tree, I venture to maintain, 

 contrary to the received opiiiion, that it was a variety 

 of the bird-cherry of which the fleshy fruit is of a sweet 

 flavour. I am inclined to think so because Kerasos in 

 Theophrastus is the name of Prunus avium, which is 

 far the commoner of the two in Asia Minor. The town 

 of Kefasunt took its name from the "tree, and it is 

 probable that the abundance of Pninus avivJm in the 

 neighbouring woods had induced the inhabitants to seek 

 the trees which yielded the best fruits in order to plant 

 them in their gardens. Certainly, if Lucullus brought 

 fine white-heart cherries to Rome, his countrymen who 

 only knew the little wild cherry may Well have said, 

 " It is a fruit which we have not." Pliny '^fBrms nothing 

 more. 



I must not conclude' without suggesting a hypothesis 

 about the two kinds of cherry. They differ but little in 

 character, and, what is Very rare, their two ancient 

 habitations, which are most clearly proved, are similar 

 (from the Caspian Sea to Western' Anatolia). The two 

 spedes have spread towards the West, but unequally 

 That which is commonest in its original home and the 

 stronger of the two (P. avittm) has extended further and 

 at an earlier epoch, and has become better naturalized. 

 P. cerasus is, therefore, perhaps derived from_ the 

 other in prehistoric times. I come thus, by a different 

 road, to an idea suggested by Caruel;^ only, instead 

 of saying that, it would perhaps be better to unite them 



Caruel, Flora Toscana, p. 48. 



