THE CHERRIES OF NEW YORK II7 



It seems to be the consensus of opinion of a score or more of European 

 and American pomologists who have known Choisy that it is the hand- 

 somest and most dehcious of all Duke cherries — one of the very best of 

 all dessert cherries. In it are delicately combined the richness of the 

 Sweet Cherry and the sprightliness of the Sour Cherry. Unfortunately, 

 while it bears early and regularly, the trees are seldom fruitful. As an 

 offset to unfrtdtfulness, however, the trees are vigorous, hardy and healthy. 

 The cherries keep and stand the wear and tear of marketing as well as those 

 of any other Diike. Its qualities all commend it for the home orchard 

 and for a local market. In particular it may be recommended for cold 

 climates where a true Sweet Cherry is not quite hardy, this hybrid being 

 nearly as hardy as the other parent, the Sour Cherry. Unfortunately 

 suitable specimens of this beautiful cherry could not be obtained for a 

 color-plate and the description has had to be compiled in part. 



Duhamel describes two amber-colored cherries, one of which is listed 

 by Leroy as Belle de Choisy. The Cerise Blanche, or Cerise Ambr6e 

 (Grosse), according to Leroy, was cultivated in Central France as early 

 as 1628 and in 1667 Merlet wrote of it as the most curious and rare of all 

 cherries. Kenrick, American Orchardist, 1832, lists a variety, Ambree, 

 which according to Floy-Lindley's and Diohamel's descriptions must be 

 Choisy. Some writers, however, say that Choisy was first grown by M. 

 Gondouin, a gardener for Louis XV, in 1 760, at the village of Choisy near 

 Paris. The American Pomological Society, in its report for 1852, mentioned 

 this variety as having promise and ten years later listed it in the Society's 

 fniit catalog where it has since remained. 



Tree large, vigorous, spreading, somewhat open, hardy, but moderately productive; 

 branches thick, of a clear grayish color with brownish-red tips; lenticels very numerous, 

 large, roundish. 



Leaves numerous, very broad, obovate, rather abruptly pointed; upper surface shining 

 dark green, deeply and regularly serrate to rather dentate. 



Buds large, thick, conical, clear brown somewhat covered with gray; season of bloom 

 rather early; flowers white, large, numerous, borne in large clusters; petioles short, scarcely 

 an inch in length; petals broadly round, edges dentate; calyx-lobes short, large; pistil 

 longer than the stamens. 



Fruit matures in some localities just before May Duke, in others just after that variety, 

 ordinarily ripe, however, at the end of June; usually attached in pairs, large, roundish to 

 somewhat oval, flattened toward the base; cavity shallow, wide; suture shallow, indistinct; 

 apex depressed; color attractive bright red mottled with yellow and amber; stem thick 

 at the base, one and one-half to two inches long, generaUy forking at about one-half 



