THE CHERRY ] 377 



trimming or shortening the growing branches and twigs in 

 April or May, the tree is induced to form an abundance 

 of fruit spurs and these ensure a copious yield of fruit. 



The following sorts of cherries are grown in these 

 Islands. 



r. COMMON BIGARREAU. ( French = bi^arreau 

 commun, coeur de poulet. Maltese= Cirasa la Maltci). 

 The fruit is large, irregularly heart-shaped with a broad 

 shallow groove. The colour is typical shining cherry 

 red, .sometimes marbled yellow, with a long and thick 

 stalk. The flesh is white, reddish close to the stone, firm 

 but tender, juicy, sweet with an agreable vinous flavour. 

 Matures in June or early in July. This cherry is grown 

 extensively in several countries, and is highly productive. 

 Prefers a siliceous soil, well manured, but does fairly well 

 in our calcareous soils, and like most cherries should be 

 grown as standard or tall pyramid. 



2. MAY DUKE. (French=^;z^/tfz^ hativt). The 

 fruit is middling in size, almost spherical, but depressed 

 at the base, where the stalk is inserted in a shallow 

 cavity. The colour is a lively cherry red, splashed dark 

 red. The flesh is white, transparent, very juicy and 

 sugary with a delicate acidity. The rind is very thin and 

 easily injured, and therefore the fruit keeps badly. This 

 is a prolific sort belonging to the section of the true 

 cherries. Matures late in May or early in June. 



3. ELTON. The fruit is large, round or slightly 

 heart-shaped, with a marked groove, and a very long and 

 slender stalk inserted in a deep cavity. The colour is 

 yellowish white, heavily shaded carmine. The flesh is 

 rather firm but quite tender, yellowish white, transparent 

 and sugary, with an agreable acidity. Matures late in 

 May or early in June. Belongs to the bigarreaux 

 section. 



4. BIGARREAU GROS-COEURET or MARCELLINE. The 

 fruit is large, heart shaped, with a well marked groove. 



