CHAPTER XXXVllI. 



NOTES ON THE ORIGIN OF SOME OF OUR CHERRIES. 



Gleaned by C. H. H., chiefly from " Cherries oi New York," by U. P. Hendrick and four assistants 

 (1915); Dr. Hogg's "Fruit Manual"; also from Messrs. G. Bunyard and Co.'s Fruit Catalogue, 

 edited by Edward Bunyard; together with published results of the pollination trials on cherries 

 at the John Innes Horticultural Eesearch Station, Merton, Surrey; G. P. Berry's "Investiga- 

 tions in Cherry Orchards in Kent," in Journal of Board of Agriculture, June, 1917, pages 

 288 to 298; "Experiments in the Pollination of Fruit Trees," by W. J. Middlebrooke, in Journal 

 of Board of Agriculture, August, 1915, pages 418 to 433; and my own experiments. 



The following cherries were recom- 

 mended by the late Mr. George Bunyard 

 for market orchards, placed in approxi- 

 mate order of ripening: — 



Early — Black Cherries. 



E.ARLY Rivers. — Raised by T. Rivers, 

 of Sawbridgeworth, from Early Purple 

 Guigne. It first fruited in 1869; was 

 introduced in 1872. Self-sterile, there- 

 fore it needs to be planted with one or 

 more early flowering varieties, such as 

 Baumann's May, Turk, Caroon, Frog- 

 more Early Bigarreau. Blossoms early. 



Old Bl.ack He.art. — One of the oldest 

 cherries in cultivation, still largely grown 

 the world over, fruit soft, tree liable to 

 Brown Rot. Blossoms early. Self-sterile. 



Knight's E.arly Black.— Raised by T. 

 A. Knight, about 1810, from seed of 

 Bigarreau impregnated with the pollen of 

 May Duke. Blossoms mid-season. Self- 

 sterile. 



Early— White Cherries. 



Frogmore Early Bigarreau. — Raised 

 by Thomas Ingram, at the Frogmore 

 Royal Gardens, Windsor, Berkshire, 

 about 1850. Blossoms late. Self-sterile. 



LuDwiG Bigarreau. — Said to be a seed- 

 ling obtained by Thomas Rivers, of Saw- 

 bridgeworth, about 1860. 



Elton Heart.— Raised by T. A. Knight, 

 from seed of Bigarreau or Graffion, 

 (Yellow Spanish), with pollen of White 

 Heart, largely grown in America, as well 

 as in England. Somewhat self-fertile. 

 Governor Wood suggested as a polleniser. 

 Blossoms early. 



Early — Red Cherries. 



May Duke.— Mentioned by Ray, in 

 1688, may have originated at Medoc, in 

 the department of Gironde, France; this 

 variety is widely distributed in America. 

 Slightlj^ self-fertile. Frogmore Early 

 Bigarreau appears to be a good pollen- 

 iser for this variety. Blossoms early. 

 Mid-Season— White (or Yellow). 



Kentish Bigarreau or Amber Heart. — 

 Very old, but one of the best market 

 varieties. Self-sterile. Frogmore is 

 found to be a good polleniser for this 

 variety, also Governor Wood and Water- 

 loo. Blossoms late. 



Mid-Season — Black . 



Black Eagle. — A valuable market 

 variety, was raised about 1806 by Miss 

 Elizabeth Knight, daughter of Thomas 

 Andrew Knight, at Downton Castle, 

 Wiltshire, by fertilising Bigarreau (the 

 Yellow Spanish, of America) with pollen 

 of May Duke. Self-sterile. Flowers mid- 

 season. 



Mid-Season — Red. 



Royal Duke. — As for other Duke cher- 

 ries, the Mazzard stock is recommended 

 rather than Mahaleb. 



Late — White. 



Napoleon Bigarreau. — The leading firm- 

 fleshed, sweet cherry. Name given by 

 Baumann, of Bolwyller, known in 1791, 

 upright sturdy growth, good for canning; 

 also known as Royal Ann, in U.S.A. ; as 

 Seth Lewelling, taking it across the (Con- 

 tinent en route for America lost its label. 

 One of the latest to flower. Somewhat 

 self-fertile. 



K 



