104 THE CHERRIES OF NEW YORK 



almost black; dots small, nisset, inconspicuous; stem variable in thickness, one and one- 

 fovtrth inches long; skin of medium tliickness, tough, adherent to the pulp; flesh purplish- 

 red with dark purple juice, rather coarse, firm, very meaty, brittle, sweet; of very good 

 quality; stone semi-free, large, ovate to oval, blunt, with smooth surfaces. 



BLACK GDIGNE 



Prunus avium 



I. Prince Pom. Man. 2:112. 1832. 

 Scheur- Kers. 2. Knoop Fructologie 2:36, 43. 1771. 

 Friihe Schwarze Herzkirsche. 3. Christ Worterb. 274. 1802. 

 Cuigne Bigaudelle. 4. Prince Pom. Man. 2:113. 1832. 



Coburger Maiherzkirsche. 5. ///. Handb. 51 fig., 52. i860. 6. Oberdieck Obst-Sorl. 377. 1881. 

 7. Lauche Deul. Pom. ID: No. i, PI. 1882. 



Guigne Noire Commune. 8. Leroy Diet. Pom. 5:328, 329 fig., 330. 1877. 

 Noire Native de Cobourg. 9. Mas Pom. Gen. 11:123, 124, fig. 62. 1882. 



There is much confusion in the history of this old cherry. It 

 undoubtedly originated in France and in that part of the country later con- 

 quered by the Germans, though Mas, in his Pomologie Generate, mentioned 

 it as probably of German origin. In the time of Louis XIII this variety 

 was known as the Guigne Noire Commune and was cultivated quite 

 extensively in France and northern Italy. It was esteemed both for its 

 earliness and its fine quality and was known as Guigne GuindouUe by the 

 peasants of central France and by the Tuscans in Italy as Corbini because 

 of the color of its skin. Black Guigne, Black Heart, and Early Piu-ple, 

 which, while similar in many characters, are entirely distinct, have been 

 badly confused by both French and German writers and it is only with 

 the greatest difficulty that the three can be separated. While this cherry 

 was formerly considered of worth in Continental Europe, it is scarcely 

 recognized there now and was probably never brought to America. The 

 following description is compiled from Etoropean fruit-books : 



Tree very large, roimd-topped, spreading, irregular in outline, productive; branches 

 long, large, straight, brownish, mottled with gray scarf-skin; intemodes long and unequal; 

 leaves large, oval or oblong, acimiinate; margin irregularly serrate; petiole long, slender, 

 with large glands; blooming season late; flowers small. 



Fruit matures the last of June to the middle of July, usually attached in pairs but 

 sometimes in threes; medium to large in size, obtuse-cordate; color bright reddish-black 

 changing to deep purple; suture indistinct; stem slender, inserted in a deep, broad cavity; 

 skin thin, tender; flesh dark purple, with abundant colored jtoice, half -tender, somewhat 

 stringy, sweet yet sprightly, pleasantly flavored; quality good; stone small, oval. 



