CHERRY, Cerasus, a genus or sub-genus of plants, of which the best knownyields one of our most esteemed stone-fruits. This is usually regarded as a sub-genus of pru nus (see PLUM), but is erected by some botanists into a distinct genus on very slender grounds, the most obvious distinction between the species of cerasus and the true species of prun us being that, in the former, the young leaves are conduplicate, or folded up, and in the latter they are convolute, or rolled together. Two species are pretty generally regarded as the parents of the garden cherries usually cultivated, prunes or Ccrrixz18 amum, and P. cerasus or a rulgaris—the former having the underside of the leaves hairy and a small austere fruit; the latter having smooth shining leaves and a more juicy fruit. C. arium attains a height of 40 to 50 feet C. velgaris is a smaller tree. 13oth have white flowers in clusters or nearly sessile umbels, and both are generally regarded as natives of Britain, and of the middle and s. of Europe. In a wild state, they are usually called GEAN (guigae), and C. (alum is frequently planted—not only because it is exceedingly ornamental when in flower, but also as a timber-tree, being of rapid growth, with firm, strong, close-grained wood, suitable for the purposes of cabinet-makers, turn ers, and musical-instrument makers. But according to some botanists, there is only one species, of which these are varieties; and according to others, C. velgaris is a native of Syria and other parts of western Asia, and is only naturalized in Europe, having been first brought to Italy by Lucullus, after his victory over Mithridates (74 B. c.), from Kerasunt, on the coast of the Black sea, from whence it derives its name. The cultivated varie ties of the C. are very numerous,. and differ very considerably in size, color, and flavor. The fruit of the C. supplies the inhabitants of some parts of France with a principal article of food, especially the wood-cutters and charcoal-burners of the forests; and among their modes of preparing it is that of making it a principal ingredient in soups. It ripens in Norway and East Bothnia as far n. as lat. 63°. In some parts of Germany, the public roads are lined for many miles together with avenues of C. trees. Besides its use for the dessert and for preserves, the C. is extensively used for making liquors. See KIRSCRWASSER and MARAscutico. Varieties of C. with double flowers, and with pen dulous branches, are frequently planted for ornament in shrubberies, and few trees or shrubs are more beautiful. The all-saints a produces flowers almost all summer, and even in autumn. Its fruit is small and rather acid.--The other species of C. are numer
ous. Some species are low,.or even prostrate shrubs, as a or P. chama-cerasus, the GROUND C. of the s. of Europe and of Siberia; and C. or P. pumila. the SAND C. of North America.—The genus or sub-genus cerasus contains also the different kinds of bird C. (q.v.) and choke C. (q.v.), including the American WILD C., famous for its med icinal bark; the MAUALEB (a or P. mahaleb) of the s. of Europe, and the CAPOLLIM (C. or P. capollim) of Mexico and Peru—the first famous for the fragrance of its flowers, and the second for the fragrance of its fruit; and the Cherry-laurel (q.v.).
or LAUREL-CHERRY, a name given to those species of prunes or cerasus (see CnEnitv) which have evergreen leaves. They are also often called LAUREL. They have small flowers in long racemes, and small fruit; the fruit of a nauseous taste; and most parts of the plant, but particularly the leaves and kernels, remarkably abound ing in hydrocyanic (prussic) acid, and therefore very poisonous.—The Commox CHERRY LAUREL, sometimes called the or LAUREL-BAY, very often spoken of simply as the LAUREL or COMMON LAUREL (prunes or cerasus lauro-cerasus), is a shrub, sometimes of very large size, with ovato-lanceolate, convex, smooth, remotely serrated, shining, yel lowish green leaves, and erect racemes of flowers. It is originally from Asia, but is now naturalized throughout the s. of Europe, and is one of the most common ornamental shrubs in Britain, where it suffers only from such severe frosts as are of rare occurrence. It is propagated by seeds, layers, and cuttings. Its leaves resemble bitter almonds in smell and taste, and contain in great abundance the same essential oil (see ALMONDS, VOLATILE OIL OF), rich in hydrocyanic acid. From these leaves, by maceration in water for 24 hours, and subsequent distillation, is obtained the laurel-water (q.v.), or cherry-laurel water, sometimes employed in medicine as a substitute for hydrocyanic acid, and which formerly was so much used as a poison. The leaves are sometimes employed also for flavoring puddings, sauces, etc., and are safer for such purposes than oil of bitter almonds, but ought to be used with caution.—Another species, also very common as an ornamental shrub in Britain, but not quite so hardy as the common cherry-laurel, is the PORTUGAL LAUREL (prunes or cerasus Ifusitanica), a native of Por tugal, a large shrub—sometimes a tree—with dark-green leaves and lateral racemes. It does not grow so well under the shade of trees as the common cherry-laurel. From the dissimilarity of form and color of their leaves, these species present a pleasant appearance when mixed, as they usually are, in the shrubbery.