APRIL 16: The Wild Black Cherry
“The wild black cherry tree is very handsome,” said daddy.
“Its foliage is something like that of the willow, drooping and looking very dainty and lovely. Its bark is rich and soft, but best of all, is the fruit which is used for making all sorts of delicious goodies, especially wild cherry juice!
“Then medicines and tonics have been made from the fruit and bark and roots of the wild black cherry.
“Cherry-wood is considered by many people to be almost as handsome as rosewood and mahogany, and the old wild black cherry tree is the tree which is used to make beautiful cherry-wood furniture.
“Its cousin, the wild cherry, is greatly enjoyed by birds who simply love to eat the little fruits.
“Another cousin, the choke-cherry, is a tree filled with very bitter fruit but the birds like the choke-cherry trees almost as well as any other and flock about any they may find. The fashionable and rich cousin is the sweet cherry which is cultivated in this country. And these are the cherries which we all like to eat best.”