FLOWERING SHRUBS 
little cherry has a pretty appearance when covered with the 
clusters of small white almond-scented blossoms, which on 
short slender footstalks spring, in twos or fours, from the 
base of the small pale-green leaves that clothe the reddish- 
barked branches; the fruit, not exceeding the size of a 
common pea, is purplish-red, without bloom on the surface. 
The Sand Cherry abounds on light plain-lands; it is the 
smallest of the wild Cherries and is far more palatable than 
the fruit of some of the larger trees of the genus. In flavor 
it partakes more of the nature of the Damson or Plum. 
Possibly under cultivation the fruit might be greatly im- 
proved in size and quality; and the plant is so pretty an 
object, whether in flower or fruit, that it would repay the 
trouble of cultivation in the garden as an ornamental dwarf 
shrub. So eagerly is the fruit sought for by the pigeons and 
partridges that it is difficult to obtain any quantity even in 
its most favored localities. 
. CHOKE-CHERRY—Prunus Virginiana (L.). 
Very tempting to the eye, when fully ripe, is the dark-crim- 
son, semi-transparent fruit of the Choke-cherry, and not 
unpalatable, but so very astringent that it causes a painful 
contraction of the throat if many berries are eaten at one 
time, though some persons are not much affected by them 
and will take them freely without any ill consequences. 
The bush is from eight to ten feet high, flowering abundantly 
and forming a pretty object from the profusion of long 
graceful pendulous racemes of greenish-white,; which have 
an almond-like scent when fully blown. The leaves also have 
a pleasant aromatic, bitter flavor like those of the peach 
and almond, and form a good flavoring, resembling ratafia; 
when boiled in milk for puddings and custards one or two 
165 
