266 



THE CHERRY. 



naturalized in America, into which there can 

 be no doubt that it was introduced^ there is 

 very fair ground for the opinion that its ex- 

 tensive diffusion through Europe may be attri- 

 buted to the same cause^ and that the assertion 

 of the okler authors, that it is of Asiatic origin, 

 is correct. 



The second species, which, though often found 

 in our woods and hedges, is not really wild in 

 any part of Europe, is the Red-fruited Cherry. 

 It is called by botanists Prunus Cerasus^ or by 

 those who assign the Plum and the Cherry to 

 distinct genera, Cerasus vulgaris. To this spe- 

 cies many of the best sorts of our garden Cherries 

 are referred, including the Flemish and Kentish 

 Cherries, uMaydukes (from Medoc, the pro\dnce 

 in France, where the variety originated), and 

 many others. It is a much smaller tree than 

 the last, from which it may be distinguished by 

 its unpointed leaves, which do not droop and are 

 never downy beneath, and by its red, acid, fruit. 



In England, Cherries are to be considered 

 rather as a luxury than as a staple article of 

 food ; but on the Continent, particularly in 

 France, they are highly prized as supplying food 

 to the poor ; and a law was passed in that 

 country, in 1669, commanding the preservation 

 of all Cherry-trees in the royal forests. The 

 consequence of this was that the forests became 

 so full of fruit trees, that there was no longer 

 room for the underwood ; when they were all 

 cut down, except such young ones as were in- 

 cluded among the numl3er of standard saplings 

 required by the law to be left to secure a supply. 

 This measure was a great calamity to the poor, 



