Prunus avium

“ The fruits are at first green, then yellowish, turning to red and at full maturity are shining, black and so hard, bitter and astringent as to be scarcely edible. This brief description of Prunus mahaleb shows that it is quite distinct from either our commonly cultivated Sweet Cherry, Prunus avium, or the Sour Cherry, Prunus cerasus, differing from either much more than the two edible species differ from each other. ”

“ Fruit-growers take little note of leaves, however, though they should be taken into practical account, since their size and number often indicate the degree of vigor. The variability of leaves is usually within limits easily set and occurs most often in young plants, in extremes of soil and climate, and on very succulent growths or water-sprouts. Leaf-size is the most variable character of this organ but is yet dependable in separating several species, as, for example, Prunus avium from Prunus cerasus, the leaves being very much larger in the former than in the latter species. ”

“ Certainly the history of the cherry is as old as that of agriculture in the southern European countries and is interwritten with it.
In beginning the history of a cultivated plant the first step is to ascertain where it grows spontaneously—where it may be found unplanted and unattended by man. This is the task now before us for Prunus cerasus and Prunus avium, discussing them in the order named. ”

“ The scientific name for the gean is Prunus avium—the birds' plum; but what we mean when we speak of "bird cherry" is a very different, though nearly kindred, species—Prunus padus, a pretty native tree of small stature which is spread all over northern Europe and Asia. It is very beautiful when covered with its white flowers in long racemes—pity they last such a short time—but the little black fruits are of no use to any creature bigger than a pheasant. ”

“ Few, indeed, are the fruit-growers whose trees are not occasionally damaged in one way or another in the vicissitudes of a trying climate. Very often these mechanical injuries are followed by fungal parasites or insects so as to make it difficult to distinguish the primary from the secondary trouble. There is a wide difference in the susceptibility of Prunus avium and Prunus cerasus to such injuries, the Sweet Cherry, with its softer wood, being much more easily injured by any and all stresses of weather than the Sour Cherry. ”

“ Trees upright when young; fruit large to very large, blackish-brown, obtuse-cordate; suture distinct; stem long, slender; flesh dark, sweet with a touch of sourness; ripens in July. Progress. P. pumila. 1. Can. Exp. Farms Rpt. 353. 1896. A seedling of Prunus pumila raised by the Manitoba Station. Proskauer Knorpelkirsche. P. avium. 1. Proskauer Obstsort. 57. 1907. A dark, hard-fleshed cherry mentioned in this reference. Proudfoot. P. avium. 1. Elliott Fr. Book 212. 1854. This variety was grown by D. Proudfoot, Cleveland, Ohio. Tree vigorous, spreading, [á] moderately productive ”

“ Genesee. P. avium. A chance seedling of the Bigarreau type originating about twenty-five years ago and recently introduced by J. A. Morgan of Scottsville, New York. The fruit is above medium in size, cordate, compressed; cavity shallow, wide, flaring; suture a line; apex roundish; stem slender, long; skin medium thick, tender, adherent, dark red mottled with amber; dots numerous, small, obscure; flesh yellowish-white, juicy, meaty, crisp, mild, sweet; quality good; stone clinging, medium, ovate, flattened, smooth, slightly tinged red; use late market. German. P. avium. ”

“ Tree productive; fruit rather below medium in size, obtuse-cordate; skin amber, mottled with red on the sunny side; flesh white, half-tender, mildly sweet; quality fair; stone large, ovate; ripens in July. Hyde Late Black. P. avium. 1. Cole Am. Fr. Book 237. 1849. 2. Downing Fr. Trees Am. 262. 1857. This variety originated with T. & G. Hyde, Newton, Massachusetts. Tree strong in growth, productive; fruit medium in size, obtuse-cordate, purplish-black; flesh half-firm, melting, juicy; resembles Eagle but is later. Hyde Red Heart. P. avium. ”

“ Most of the vines or shrubs of poison-ivy produce some flowers that are always in clusters arising on the side of the stem immediately above a leaf. The flowers are rather inconspicuous among the leaves, as may be noted in figure 7, but they are in quite distinct clusters, as shown in figure 8, A. Frequently the flowers do not develop or are abortive and no fruit is produced. When fruits do develop they serve as a positive way of identifying the plant. The berries are not easily confused with the fruits of other plants. ”

“ Prunus davidiana, then, like the Sand Cherry of the Western Plains, may prove to be a valuable go-between in hybridizing species of Prunus.
The fruit has no comestible value. It is small, less than an inch in diameter, nearly round, very downy, yellow at maturity, with thin, dry, tasteless flesh which parts readily from the stone even before fully ripe. As if to complete its worthlessness as an edible product, it begins to shrivel as maturity approaches and soon decays. In fruit, even more than in tree, it is an intermediate between the peach and the almond. ”

“ If you do not know the poison-ivy, remember this: It is the three-leaved ivy. Its leaves always grow in triplets as shown in illustration. The leaves are smooth, but not glossy; they have no teeth but are occasionally notched. Sometimes the plant is bushy, standing a foot or two high, again it is trailing or climbing. It loves fence corners and big rocks to clamber over; it will also choose large trees for support, climbing up to their tops. The flowers are whitish and the fruit is a pretty, green-gray berry, round and smooth, which grows in scant clusters. ”

“ P. avium. 1. Lond. Hort. Soc. Cat. 51. 1831. Listed in this reference. Guigne Guindole. P. avium. 1. Thomas Guide Prat. 18, 198. 1876. Many writers, including Leroy, believe this cherry to be identical with the Flamentine. Tree vigorous, productive; grown for market; fruit large, elongated-cordate; skin deep red with carmine mottling on a yellowish ground; flesh tender, soft, juicy, sugary; matures the last part of June. Guigne Hâtive d'Elsdorf. P. avium. 1. Thomas Guide Prat. 27, 198. 1876. A German variety "much recommended." Guigne Marbrée. P. avium. 1. Pom. ”

“ It is of the utmost importance to note the difference of characters of the same species of ivy in its two conditions of climbing and fruiting. The first stage of growth, which we will suppose to be from the seed, is essentially scandent, and the leaves are lobed more or less. This stage is accompanied with a plentiful production of the claspers or modified roots by means of which the plant becomes attached and obtains support. When it has reached the summit of the tree or tower, the stems, being no longer able to maintain a perpendicular attitude, fall over and become horizontal or pendent. ”

“ Grassy tufts show only bleached bents, so tightly matted that one wonders how the delicate young blades will be able to spear through. Ivy-berries, hanging in thick clusters, are still in beauty; they are so heavy that they weigh down the branches. There is a peculiar beauty in the form and veining of the plain-shaped leaves belonging to the mature or flowering state that the plant reaches when it can no longer climb, whether on a wall six feet high or on the battlements of a castle. Cuttings grown from such portions retain this habit, and form densely-flowering bushes of compact shape. ”

“ The drupe-fruits are put in two, three and sometimes four genera by various botanists but in the fruit-books issued by this Station, following most botanists and pomologists, all are put in a single genus, Prunus. Such lumping of several distinct fruits into one genus has its disadvantages but the several fruits cannot be reasonably separated because outliers closely connect all. Hybridization between the cultivated stone-fruits adds to the perplexities of classification.
Prunus persica is variously divided by botanists and pomologists. ”

“ In open sunlight and over some large areas it is more of a shrub than a vine.
When poison-ivy becomes mixed in with other vines it is quite difficult to detect except by one who has carefully trained himself in observing and recognizing the plant. Also, some other vines and young plants resemble poison-ivy in many respects. The Virginia creeper and some forms of the Boston ivy are often confused with it. The Virginia creeper can always be recognized by its five leaflets radiating from one point of attachment, as compared with the three leaflets of poison-ivy arranged in the same manner. ”

“ Most of its hybrid offspring have more value than the parent, nearly all of them lacking its disagreeable taste. According to an article published in Revue Horticole [110] a new form of the Prunus simonii was produced in 1890 from a bud sport, the fruit of which is elongated, a little cordate, slightly unequal, and grooved on one side. So far as can be learned this sport has no very decided merits as a horticultural plant.
10. PRUNUS AMERICANA Marshall
PRUNUS AMERICANA
1. ”

“ The genus Prunus is preeminent in horticulture, furnishing all of the so-called stone-fruits, fruits which for variety, delicious flavor and beauty of appearance, probably surpass those of any other genus, and which, fresh or dried, are most valuable human foods. The seeds of one of the fruits belonging to Prunus, the almond, are commercially important, both for direct consumption and for the oil which is pressed from them; in India a similar oil is obtained from the seeds of peaches and apricots, while in Europe an oil from the seeds of the Mahaleb cherry is used in making perfumes. ”

“ Among those products of the palm which we import most liberally is "vegetable ivory."
Vegetable ivory is the kernel of the fruit of one of the most beautiful of palms (Phytelephas macrocarpa) .
This Prince of Vegetation is a native of South America. "It is short-stemmed and procumbent, but has a magnificent crown of light green ostrich-feather-like leaves, which rise from thirty to forty feet high." The fruit is as big as a man's head. Two or three millions of the nuts are imported by us every year, and applied to all the purposes of use and ornament for which real ivory is available. ”

“ Plowing is of little value in combating poison-ivy unless followed by persistent stirring with a cultivator or harrow, to keep all roots loosened from the soil. Otherwise plowing merely propagates the weed.
Mowing with a scythe or sickle is a common method of attacking poison-ivy, but it has little effect on the roots unless frequently repeated. The number of cuttings required to kill depends upon the age of the plants and the size of the roots, but is seldom less than four. New shoots should be cut as soon as the first leaf on each stem is full size. ”

“ Phytelephas macrocarpa.—The vegetable ivory plant, a native of the northern parts of South America. The fruit consists of a collection of six or seven drupes; each contains from six to nine seeds, the vegetable ivory of commerce. The seeds at first contain a clear, insipid liquid; afterwards it becomes milky and sweet, and changes by degrees until it becomes hard as ivory. Animals eat the fruit in its young green state; a sweet oily pulp incloses the seeds, and is collected and sold in the markets under the name of Pipa de Jagua. ”

“ Some plants of Ivy growing in the living and sleeping rooms, will do more to keep the atmosphere of the apartments pure and wholesome, than anything we can possibly imagine, and I recommend their more extensive cultivation in malarial localities. The Ivy may be easily cultivated from slips or layers. In soil, sand, or even in pure water, cuttings will root, and they will take up with almost any kind of soil, but that which can be easily kept loose, is preferable. The Ivy is partial to shade, and if it never saw the sun it would make no difference, as it would grow and flourish just the same. ”

“ The economical uses of the ivy are not of great importance. The leaves are eaten greedily by horses, deer, cattle and sheep, and in times of scarcity have proved useful. The flowers afford a good supply of honey to bees; and, as they appear in autumn, they occasionally make amends for the shortcomings of the season. The berries are eaten by wood pigeons, blackbirds and thrushes. From all parts of the plant a balsamic bitter may be obtained, and this in the form of hederic acid is the only preparation of ivy known to chemists. ”

“ Examination of many stomachs shows that in winter the tree sparrow feeds entirely upon seeds of weeds. Probably each bird consumes about one-fourth of an ounce a day. In an article contributed in 1881 to the New York Tribune the writer estimated the amount of weed seed annually destroyed by these birds in Iowa. On the basis of one-fourth of an ounce of seed eaten daily by each bird, and an average of ten birds to each square mile, remaining in their winter range 200 days, there would be a total of 1,750,000 pounds, or 875 tons of weed seed consumed in a single season by this one species. ”

“ Avena flavescens (Yellow Oat-grass) , which is better. It, too, occurs on chalky soils; while the Avena pratensis (Meadow Oat-grass) is found too frequently in poor clays or on starved moors, in which its rigid leaves and harsh structure render it little, if any, better than a weed.
One of the most interesting species of the genus is the Avena fatua (Wild Oat) , well known as a weed in stiff arable soils. This is the parent of the crop oats in cultivation, and there is reason to know that by degeneracy the crop oat in some districts leaves behind a pest of wild oats. ”