68 



FRUIT-GARDENING. 



The Cherry of the cultivated varieties is said to have been 

 first introduced into Italy in the year 73 from a town in Pon- 

 tus, in Asia, called Cerasus, whence its specific name; and 

 it was introduced into Britain one hundred and twenty years 

 afterwards. 



The Romans had eight species in Pliny's time red, black, 

 tender-fleshed, hard-fleshed, small bitter-flavored, and heart- 



Early Purple Guigne. Black Tartarian. 



Black Eagle. 



shaped. There are now upwards of two hundred in cultivation. 

 The French divide their Cherries into griottes, or tender- 

 fleshed ; bigarreaux, or heart-shaped ; and guignes, or small 

 fruit. The fruit of many varieties is somewhat heart-shaped, 

 whence they are called ox-heart, white-heart, and black-heart. 

 Why some sorts are called dukes, is not so obvious. The 

 morello cherry is very different from the other varieties, bear- 

 ing almost exclusively from the preceding year's wood, and the 

 palp of the fruit having the consistence and flavor of the 



