PLANT CHARACTERS OF CHERRY VARIETIES 



By A. P. French.i Professor of Pomology 



INTRODUCTION 



Since the publication by Shaw (4) in 1922 of descriptions of the leaves of apple 

 varieties and the start of systematic examination of nursery fruit trees for true- 

 ness-to-name, there has been an ever-increasing interest in methods for the identi- 

 fication of fruit plants in the nursery row. 



Because of their economic importance and the long interval between planting 

 and fruiting, more attention has been given to differences between apple varieties 

 than between the varieties of other fruits. Yet mixtures are as frequent and as 

 extensive among some of the other tree fruits as with the apple. While cherries, 

 particularly sweet, are by no means the most difficult fruit to identify in the 

 nursery, mixtures frequently are found in some of the leading varieties. The 

 writer has observed as many as four different varieties of sweet cherries mixed in 

 the same row, and occasionally a solid block of a worthless Mazzard has been 

 found being grown for a named variety. Thus the need for information which 

 may help to eliminate mixtures in the nursery would seem to be apparent. It 

 should be understood that the characteristics of nursery trees cannot be learned 

 from printed descriptions alone. Much time must be spent in the nursery exam- 

 ining and studying stock known to be true to name before it will be possible to 

 identify and separate mixtures accurately. Furthermore, many of the differences 

 found in vigorous nursery trees become obscure or difficult of detection in slower 

 growing orchard trees. 



Literature 



The literature concerning the plant characters of cherry varieties is quite 

 meager. To be sure, Hedrick (2) has described the tree and flower, as well as the 

 fruit of a large number of varieties. However, his descriptions are made from 

 bearing trees and his pictures are those of spur leaves, neither of which can be 

 relied upon to portray accurately or re^•eal completely the various character differ- 

 ences which are found in vigorous growing nursery trees. Bunyard (1) has called 

 attention to the bud differences on dormant trees. These differences are worthy 

 of note, but are relatively less important during active growth than after the tree 

 is dormant. The only previous publications which deal with varietal differences 

 of cherry trees from the standpoint of nursery trees are those of Upshall (6) and 

 Shoemaker (5). The former has published rather brief descriptions of some of 

 the more important varieties, while the latter has supplemented that study with 

 some additional notes and comparisons. 



The Present Study 



This study does not pretend to be exhaustive. However, the writer has aimed 

 to include first, those varieties which are found^most commonly in commercial 

 nurseries; secondly, several less important or uncommon varieties which may re- 

 semble or have been found in place of the above; and I'astly, a few of the newer 

 varieties. The characters herein described are those of one- and two-year-old 



^The writer wishes to acknowledge his indebtedness to Doctor J. K. Shaw for making this study 

 possible and for his counsel and advice during the preparation of the manuscript. Thanks also 

 are due Mr. Lawrence Southwick, who has done most of the propagation in connection with this 

 study. 



