CHERRIES. I>>3 



without doubt, a monstrosity arising from cultivation. They 

 arc produced in umbels similar to the other varieties ; the 

 calyx and petals present no peculiarity, but in the centre of 

 the flower there are several pistils, varying in number from 

 one to a dozen, a part of which blight ; but there are often 

 several which become perfect fruits. These fruits, to the 

 number of three, four, five, and sometimes more, are sessile at 

 the extremity of the peduncle, closely set to each other, com- 

 pressed at the sides where they touch, but perfectly distinct, 

 and each containing a stone. Duhamel states that it is only on 

 old trees that clusters of eight to twelve cherries are met with, 

 and that on young trees, but one, two, three, or at most five 

 grow upon the same peduncle. The fruit ripens about the 

 middle of June ; the flesh is white, but too acid to be pleasant 

 for eating, unless with sugar or in preserves. It does not ap- 

 pear to have been ascertained whether this tree can be repro- 

 duced from the stone with all its peculiarities of character. 



MAY DUKE. Pr. cat. Law. Mil. For. Hook. von. 



LOVD. HOKT. CAT. CoXE. 



Duke. Lang. 



Cerise Royale. hative. N. Duh. 



Cerise d'Angleterre, of the Parisian gardens. 



Cerisier Anglois. Royal hatif. 



Early May Duke. 



The present variety and the Black Heart are more exten- 

 sively cultivated in this vicinity than any others, arising, no 

 doubt, from their being among the first that were introduced 

 from Europe. This tree attains to the height of thirty feet or 

 more, forming a head commonly more conical than spreading ; 

 the fruit is usually the first that is met with in our markets, it 

 being gathered for that purpose as soon as it has acquired a 

 red colour, and before it has attained its maturity and attend- 

 ant excellence. From this circumstance few are aware of its 

 real quality when fully ripe, or even of the colour it then at- 

 tains, having drawn their conclusions from seeing such as has 

 been prematurely gathered. This cherry, when perfectly ma- 



