140 THE OUCHAED AND FRUIT GAKDE3T. 



appears to have been brought to England from Russia, 

 but to have been introduced into Russia from Spain. 



Knight's Early Black is another excellent black 

 cherry, large and handsome, ripening the end of June, 

 often ten days earlier than the May Duke. The fruit 

 is blunt, heart-shaped, large, and uneven on the surface, 

 like the Tartarian, deep purple when quite ripe, firm in 

 the flesh, juicy, and full-flavoured. The stalk is long 

 and deeply set in a round cavity. Mr. Knight raised 

 the first tree of this kind in 1810, from the Bigarreau 

 crossed with the May Duke. It is hardy enough to bear 

 as a standard ; but, of course, it comes earlier if it can 

 have a south or south-east wall. 



The May Duke, also known as Early Duke, and 

 Morris's Duke, is another June cherry, when placed 

 under sufficiently favourable circumstances to ripen it 

 early. This most popular cherry is well known, and its 

 roundish, deep-red fruit, rather flattened at both ends, 

 and rich juice, saved from insipidity by a mild agreeable 

 acid, are familiar to all lovers of cherries. The flesh is 

 soft and juicy, the fruit grows in clusters, and the tree 

 bears abundantly, does well as a standard, and is about 

 the best kind for forcing. In most parts it does not 

 ripen before the middle of July. 



The Late Duke, or Anglaise Tardive, is useful from 

 coming rather late. The fruit is larger than the May 

 Duke, bluntly heart-shaped, a little compressed, bright 

 glossy red, tender, juicy, and rich in flavour. The flesh 

 is yellow and tender, and the stone rather large. This 

 and the Archduke are very similar in character, larger 

 in the fruit and in the foliage than the May Duke, 

 more vigorous in growth, and spreading. They will 

 do as standards. 



The Black Heart, Guigniers a Pruit Noir of the 

 French, Guines of Kent, or Early Black, ripens early 

 in July, and is a very good sort. The cherries are 

 pretty large, heart-shaped, a little flattened at the apex 

 and on one side, with a slight suture ; they are almost 

 black when quite ripe, and the flesh is firm, mellow, and 

 rich. The stalk is of medium length, and slender. 



