192 



SMALL FRUIT CITI.TURIST. 



admit of being hybridized witb it, as the flowers are very 

 similar and the wood of the two unites very readily. One 

 of these, Prunus Pemisylvanica^ is a tall species, and does 

 not come within the scope of this work; but a dwarf one, 



piimila^ described by Dr. Gray as follows : 



" Smooth, depressed and trailing, six to eighteen inches 

 high; leaves obovate-lanceolate, tapering to the base, 

 somewhat toothed near the apex, pale underneath; flow- 

 ers two to four together; fruit ovoid, dark red. Kocks or 

 sandy banks; Massachusetts northward to Wisconsin, and 

 south to Virginia along the mountains." 



The above is merely a general description of the species, 

 but it varies considerably in different locations and soils. 



It is thirty-five years since I first became acquainted 

 with this species while examining the wild fruits of Nortli- 

 ern Michigan, and by referring to my diary of 1846, I 

 find the following notes : 



" August 3d, 1846. Thunder Bay Islands, Lake Huron. 

 ~Yisited Hat Island, and found Dwarf Cherry, {Cerasus 

 pumila^) very abundant. The plants gi'owing on the 

 beach in almost pure sand; bearing stems depressed with 

 the weight of fruit ; wonderfully productive. 



Fruit one-half inch long, and three-eighths broad ; dark 

 purple, nearly black, sweet, but rather insipid. Suckers 

 abundant from the underground stems or roots." 



At the time referred to above, I supposed this species 

 was confined to the shores of the lakes, but have since 

 learned that it is widely distributed over the Northern 

 States. A few years ago, through the kindness of Prof. 

 George Thurber, I received some Cherry seeds from Utah 

 Territory, and from th^m raised plants which appear to be 

 of the same species as the one described by Dr. Gray, as 

 P. pumila^ and also found by myself at Hat Island. 

 There is, however, considerable d fference in the growth 

 of the plants ; the one grown from the seeds obtained 

 from Utah being more erect, none of the branches trailing 



