BOTANICAL INDEX. 
lO 
THE CHERR Y. 
O’ER ASUS VULGARIS. C. SYLVESTRIS. 
CERISIER.— French. KIRSCHENBAUM.— German. 
BY L. S. MOTE, WEST MILTON, OHIO. 
HE Cherry is a fine, graceful tree, cultivated for its edible fruit, and holds an 
important place in our kitchen service in the varied kinds of pies, tarts, 
desserts, &c. It is a native of the milder portions of Asia, and was brought 
by the Romans into Italy, from Cerasus, a town in Pontus, a good many 
years prior to the Christian era, (hence the Generic name, Cerasus). It was 
carried from thence to all parts of Europe, and other places as civilization 
advanced, and reached our shores in a very early period of its settlement b3 r the em- 
igrants from the eastern hemisphere. It has been greatly improved in the last 
hundred years, by skillful horticulturists, in the reproduction of many choice vari- 
eties from hybridized seed. Nature has also done her part in furnishing some few 
noted kinds in chance seedlings. Even our common-cultivated Cherry tree, when 
in full bloom in the Spring of the year, is very ornamental upon the lawn or house 
plot; to say nothing about the fancy flowering sorts. 
Horticulturists have classed them into two grand divisions. The first are the 
sweet kinds, comprising the Mazzards, Hearts and Bigarreaus. Secondly, the tart 
ones, including the Dukes, Morellos and their kinds. The fruit of our common 
wild black Cherry ( Cerasus Virginiana ) is not unfrequently used for the same pur- 
poses that the cultivated sorts are, (their medical properties being a sedative tonic.) 
There is a tree in this vicinity that produces berries twice the usual size of this 
kind, and are better flavored; under this class we have the G. Serotina, or Choke 
Cherry, and the C. Pubescens, or Sand Cherry; also the C. Mahaleb, or wild Cherry 
of France, much used by nurserymen for stocks latterly for budding purposes, and 
some others not enumerated. It is not our purpose at this time to review in detail, 
or speak of the merits or demerits of the many, but only of a few that we have had 
under culture of the well known varieties. Our changeable climate often makes 
sad havoc among the larger and finer kinds, their rapid growth making so much 
soft, succulent. wood, they fall an easy prey to the cold cutting winds of our winters, 
thus betraving their primitive clime. Our nurserymen are thus compelled to grow 
almost exclusively the more hardy sorts, coming under the head of the second class. 
The Black Tartarian is a very large luscious old variety, but too tender to be de- 
pended upon in this parallel. (This and the Yellow Spanish, Governor Wood, we 
have had a full inch in diameter, frequently on our trees.) Governor Wood is the 
best and most hardy of all of Prof. Kirtland’s seedlings that we have tried. Black 
Eagle is a very fine Cherry in its class and tolerably hardy. Early Purple Guigne 
is the earliest of all here, excellent flavored (for an early,) and hardy. Many of our 
seedlings raised from the foregoing kinds, were too tender for our climate; a few ap- 
pear more hardy, but are not equal in all respects to the parents — one bears a dark 
red fruit and is equal or better than any Honeyheart (of the second class.) 
We have two varieties of Dukes. The May Duke, although large and tine, is a 
shy bearer and rather tender. Another, from Philadelphia, Penn., a little less in size, 
ripening at the same time, as good flavored, more productive and hardy, is taking the 
place of the first. 
The Common May, May of the West, Early Richmond, (erroneously) Cerasus 3/. 
Pm-coce , is a very early hardy Morello, only “second rate ” in flavor, but cultivated 
all through the West on account of its hardiness and early ripening. Early Rich- 
mond (Virginia May, Kentish Red, etc.,) resembles the foregoing, and ripening 
about tlie same time; is rounder and some darker colored, and more solid flesh and 
richer fruit than the May. 
The Dyehouse is an extra early Morello that originated toward Central Kentucky, 
with an old gentlemen, (whose name it bears,) over 30 years ago, but only within a 
few years past has it been brought to public notice. It is claimed to be the earliest, best 
and hardiest of its class, but we cannot vouch for this as we have none in bearing. 
Kirtland’s Large Morello is a real improvement on the old common kind; about 
a third larger and a better bearer, and some earlier. 
Note. — Our experience with the May Cherry, in the reproduction of seedlings, 
has not been as satisfactory as desired. ' We have only a few of them left for fur- 
ther cultivation. We had them of various qualities , sizes and times of ripening. While 
some were sweeter and earlier, they lacked in productiveness, and a few so nearly 
resembled the parent every way that common observation would fail to see any dif- 
ference. We have one exception, that the fruit is some larger. Will try it further. 
Those seedlings have been in bearing 10 or 12 years. 
