CHERRIES. 279 



which the yellow style-point is placed. Skin, thin, pale red at first, 

 but becoming dark red, and when allowed to hang till fully ripe it is 

 almost black. Peduncle, long. Stalk, very slender and green, an inch 

 and a half to two inches long, deeply inserted. Flesh, deep red, very 

 tender and juicy, sweet, and briskly flavoured ; but sugary when highly 

 ripened. 



Ripe in the middle and end of July. The tree is somewhat pendu- 

 lous when old. 



The true Archduke Cherry was for many years very scarce, Anglaise Tardive 

 being propagated under that name, chiefly, I believe, through its being made 

 synonymous with that variety by some authors. I met with the true sort in the 

 nurseries at Sawbridgeworth in 1 847 ; and Mr. Rivers then informed me that it had 

 been grown there by his ancestors for upwards of a century. The same variety is 

 still propagated there. Even in Parkinson's time it was difficult to obtain it true, 

 for he says, " Scarce one in twentie of our Nurseriemen doe sell the right, butgive 

 one for another : for it is an inherent qualitie almost hereditarie with most of 

 them to sell any man an ordinary fruit for whatsoeuer rare fruit he shall aske for : 

 so little they are to be trusted." 



Armstrong's Bigarreau. See Bigamau de Hollande. 

 A Trochet. See Cluster. 

 Autumn Bigarreau. See Belle Agathe. 

 Baramdam. See Paranulam. 



BAUMAXX'S MAY (Bigarreau de Mai). Fruit, generally produced 

 in pairs, rather below medium size ; ovate-cordate, and irregular in its 

 outline. Skin, of a fine dark clear red, assuming a deeper colour 

 when at maturity. Stalk, an inch and a half to an inch and three- 

 quarters long, stout at the insertion, and placed in a narrow and irre- 

 gular cavity. Flesh, purple, tender, juicy, sweet, and well-flavoured. 



As an early cherry this is a fruit of first-rate excellence, far sur- 

 passing the Early May, which has hitherto been cultivated more on 

 account of its earliness than any intrinsic merit it possesses ; and 

 on this account Baumann's May, as it becomes more generally known, 

 must ultimately supersede it. This excellent variety ripens in the 

 third or last week in May. 



The tree is a most abundant and early bearer, with strong and 

 vigorous shoots, and large dark-coloured leaves, but not like those of 

 a Bigarreau ; neither is the character of the fruit in accordance with 

 that class : hence Mr. Downing dropped the name of Bigarreau, and 

 substituted that which I have adopted. 



I received it in 1846 from Messrs. Baumann, of Bohvyller, near Mulhausen, in 

 Alsace. 



BEDFORD PROLIFIC (Sheppard's Bedford Prolific).Verj much 

 resembles Black Tartarian, with which I made it synonymous in the 

 last edition of this work ; but it is inferior in quality to it. The tree 

 is a free grower, a better bearer, and more hardy than Black Tartarian. 



