USEFUL VAEIETIES OF CHEEEIES. 143 



flattened, thin in the skin, deep bright red, a little 

 variegated, rather firm, juicy, with a fine brisk sub- 

 acid flavour, gaining richness as it hangs on the tree. 

 The stalk is a little longer than in the Kentish, and 

 stout. It ripens the end of July and beginning of 

 August. Other names for it are Crown, English Bearer, 

 Nouvelle d'Angleterre, De Villeune, Rouge Pale, and 

 Wax cherry. The tree and its branches have a very 

 similar character to the Kentish, but with a stronger 

 growth. The leaves are larger, and deeply and doubly 

 serrated. It is not an abundant bearer as a standard, 

 but produces plenty of fine fruit in a warm situation, 

 and does very well as an espalier in a warm garden. 



Florence, or Knevett's Late Bigarreau, is a heart- 

 shaped cherry, flat at the stalk end, blunt at the apex, 

 flattened on one side, with a shallow suture, in colour 

 amber, marbled with pale red, and glowing red on the 

 sunny side. It is firm, yet tender, juicy, sweet, and 

 rich. The stalk is long and slender, set in a deep 

 cavity. It ripens the end of July and beginning of 

 August. It was brought to England from Florence, 

 and succeeds best on an east or south-east wall. 



The Small Black, Black Mazzard, Common Black 

 of Buckinghamshire, Merry cherry or Merries of 

 Cheshire, Small Wild Black, Black Polstead, or Meri- 

 sier a petit fruit, deserves some notice from being the 

 best parent of our common cherry stocks. It grows wild 

 in many parts, and is much cultivated in Cheshire, 

 Buckinghamshire, and about Polstead in Suffolk. The 

 name Merries, by which it is so often called, is from the 

 French Merise: it is the kind most used for making 

 cherry brandy (not brandied cherries), and it is the 

 best sort to use for stocks. The fruit is small, heart- 

 shaped, a little flattened at the sides, without suture, 

 with a round dimple at the apex, thin in the skin, quite 

 black in colour, sweet, and pleasant-flavoured, but a 

 little bitter. The stalk is rather long, very slender, set 

 in a small round cavity, and the flesh is a deep purple. 

 It ripens the beginning and middle of August. 



The White Heart, Amber Heart, White Transparent, 



