274 THE FBUIT MANUAL. 



without seeds. This character is not assumed till the shrub has become 

 aged. Young suckers, taken from an old plant of the true variety, very 

 frequently, and indeed generally, produce fertile fruit during the early 

 years of their growth ; it is, therefore, necessary that the plants be 

 taken from an aged stock, in which the stoneless character has been 

 manifested, to be certain that the variety is correct. 



CHEEEIES. 



SYNOPSIS OF CHERRIES. 



ALL the varieties of cultivated cherries will be found to consist of 

 eight races, into which I have arranged them : 



I. The sweet, heart-shaped cherries, with tender and dark-coloured 

 flesh, I have called BLACK GEANS. 



II. The pale-coloured, sweet cherries, with tender and translucent 

 flesh and skin, I have distinguished by the name of EED GEANS. 



III. Dark-coloured, sweet cherries, with somewhat of the Bigarreau 

 character. Their flesh is not so firm and crackling as that of the 

 Bigarreaus, but considerably harder than in the Black Geans, and these 

 I propose to call BLACK HEARTS. 



IV. Includes the WHITE HEARTS or BIGARREAUS, properly so called, 

 with red or light-coloured mottled skin, and hard crackling flesh. 



V. Those having a dark skin and flesh, and deeply- coloured juice, 

 are called BLACK DUKES. 



VI. Embraces all those nearly allied to the Black Dukes, but with 

 pale red, translucent skin and flesh, and uncoloured juice ; they are, 

 therefore, distinguished as RED DUKES. 



VII. Includes all those the trees of which have long, slender, and 

 pendent shoots, and dark-coloured fruit, with acid, coloured juice, and 

 are termed BLACK MORELLOS. 



VIII. I have called RED MORELLOS ; they include all those pale red, 

 acid varieties, of which the Kentish cherry is the type. 



I. GEANS. 



Branches, rigid and spreading, forming round-headed trees. Leaves, 

 long, waved on the margin, thin and flaccid, and feebly supported on 

 the footstalks. Flowers, large, and opening loosely, with thin, flimsy, 

 obovate, or roundish ovate petals. Fruit, heart-shaped, or nearly so. 

 Juice, sweet. 



