Half-veiled by a purple haze, The cliffs and crags, their turrets raise, The fragrant forests, umber, green, Scintillate in the sunlight’s sheen, And whispering low, through clinging vines, A berceuse comes from singing pines. —Illyria Turner. MY SUMMER NIGHT. The dear voice of the summer night Sings in my listening ear A melody of joyous flight, In sweetest cadence here. I love the cricket’s monotone; It almost seems to me That star-notes, through the ether blown, Have lodged in grass and tree. A beetle, swinging down the field, Booms on the lighted pane; And, as it strikes, a thought revealed Taps at my quivering brain. The “peas and pork” bird in the air— The solemn whip-poor-will— Both thoughts of quaintest mystery bear From off yon shadowed hill. A silk-worm moth, with purple “eyes” Upon its nether wings, Around the lighted window flies, Or to the casement clings. So, all the eve, the gathering gloom Speaks with its voices low; Hearts unto hearts, in bits of bloom, On summer evenings flow. —Willis Edwin Hurd. [Illustration: CHERRIES. (Prunus cerasus). ⅔ Life-size.] THE CHERRY. (_Prunus cerasus_ L.) Sauerkirsche, Weichsalkirsche, G. Ceriesier, Griottier, Fr. Sweet is the air with the budding haws, and the valley stretching for miles below Is white with blossoming cherry-trees, as if just covered with lightest snow. —Longfellow: “Christus. The Golden Legend.” The cherry-trees belong to the Rose family (Rosaceae) and are thus botanically related to the apple, rose, pear and strawberry. The numerous cultivated varieties are doubtless derived from the cherry whose original home was Asia Minor, from which country it spread to Europe and other countries many centuries ago. The plants are trees, mostly not large but handsome because of the green, simple, glossy serrated leaves and the beautiful numerous white flowers and the attractive red fruit. Pliny described the plant and designated Asia as its original home. About 63 B. C. the plant was brought to Rome. From Italy the cherry rapidly spread through Europe, for it was cultivated along the Rhine countries, in Belgium and in England, even during the time of Pliny. Alexander Trallianus recommended the fruit very highly in the treatment of consumption and in diseases of the liver.