THE CHERRIES OF NEW YORK 191 



are quite too poor in quality, being very sour, and the trees too unpro- 

 ductive to make the variety even a poor rival of a score or more of Amarelles 

 and Dukes with which it would have to compete in this State. 



The origin of this cherry is unknown but according to Truchsess it 

 was sent out from Hanover as Spate Morelle in 1785. In 1797, Christ 

 mentions a cherry under this name the description of which agrees with 

 that of Spate Amarelle. Lauche states that Truchsess received the variety 

 from Hanover under the name Spate Morelle and later changed the name 

 to Spate Amarelle. This cherry was grown in the Paris National Nur- 

 sery under the name Cerise Amarelle Tardive and at one time was com- 

 monly grown in gardens in France. In the spring of 1883, Professor J. L. 

 Budd of Iowa brought to America a large number of cherries from central 

 and eastern Europe. Somehow there was confusion in the description 

 of these imported cherries and two kinds were described imder the name 

 Spate Amarelle, one a light-fieshed sort, the other with red flesh and colored 

 juice. The true variety has light flesh and juice and a pleasant, acid flavor 

 and is probably identical with the old French sort, Cerise Amarelle Tar- 

 dive. The cherry sometimes called Spate Morello can be no other than 

 the Spate Amarelle. 



Tree of medivun size, vigorous, upright-spreading, round- topped, rather unproductive; 

 trunk stocky, somewhat shaggy; branches smooth, dark brown overspread by ash-gray, 

 with numerous lenticels variable in size; branchlets slender, rather short, brown nearly 

 covered with ash-gray, smooth, with slightly raised, inconspicuous lenticels. 



Leaves numerous, small, folded upward, oval to somewhat obovate, rather stiff; upper 

 surface dark green, smooth; lower surface medium green, pubescent only on the midrib 

 and larger veins; apex acute, base variable in shape; margin finely serrate, glandular; 

 petiole greenish or with a slight bronze tinge, glandless or with from one to four small, 

 globose, brown or yellowish glands usually at the base of the blade. 



Buds small, pointed, plump, free, arranged singly as lateral buds and in clusters on 

 long or short spurs; leaf-scars prominent; season of bloom late; flowers one inch across, 

 white; borne in scattered clusters, usually in threes; pedicels three-fourths of an inch long, 

 slender, glabrous, greenish; calyx-tube green with a tinge of red, obconic, glabrous; calyx- 

 lobes with a trace of red, rather narrow, acute, serrate, glabrous within and without, 

 reflexed; petals broad-oval, entire, slightly crenate at the apex; filaments one-fourth inch 

 long; pistil glabrous, equal to or longer than the stamens. 



Fruit matures in mid-season; one-half inch long, oblate, slightly compressed; cavity 

 shallow, narrow; suture indistinct; apex roundish or depressed; color dark red; dots 

 numerous, very small, obscure; stem slender, one and one-half inches long; skin thin, tender; 

 flesh light red, with light colored juice, tender, tart; of good quality; stone free, roundish, 

 flattened, with smooth surfaces; distinctly ridged along the ventral suture. 



