106 CHERRIES, 



had been impregnated by the May Duke. It is sufficiently 

 hardy to bear on an open standard ; but it would be more 

 desirable to train it against a south or south-east wall, as its 

 fruit would then be a great acquisition to the dessert, along 

 with our early scarlet strawberries. 



25. LuKEwiRD. JVIi7/er, No. 11. Hilt, p. 299.; Sivit- 

 zer, 140. 



Fruit heart-shaped, somewhat rounder, and not quite so 

 large as a Black Heart ; of a dark brown, or nearly black 

 colour, and possessing a most excellent juice. 



Ripe the beginning of August. 



This is an old inhabitant of our orchards, althoughbut little 

 known or cultivated at present. 



Parkinson, in 1629, calls it Luke Ward's ;.Raye, in 1688, 

 Luke Ward's ; and Rea, in 1702, appears to be the first who 

 has given it the name of Lukeward. It is highly spoken of 

 by the old gardeners, and therefore ought to be brought into 

 notice and cultivated. 



26. Small Black. 



Black Mazzard. Hort. Soc, Cat. No. 4. 



Common Black of Buckinghamshire. lb. No. 5. 



Merry Cherry of Cheshire. 76. No. 2. 



Small Wild Black. Jb. No. 7. 



Black Polstead, in some places. 



Merisier a petit fruit. Duhamel, Vol. i. p. 156. 



Fruit small, heart-shaped, flattened a little on both sides, 

 and without suture. Stalk one inch and three quarters long, 

 very slender, inserted in a small round cavity ; at its apex it 

 has a small, round, deepish dimple. Skin thin, of a jet black 

 colour. Flesh succulent, very deep purple. Juice purple, 

 sweet, accompanied with a slight bitter but agreeable taste. 



Ripe the beginning and middle of August. 



This Cherry grows wild, and is cultivated also, in abun- 

 dsmce, in several parts of England, particularly in the Chil- 

 tern part of Buckinghamshire.; in Cheshire, and about Pol- 

 stead in Suffolk, where the fruit is called Merries, from the 

 French J\Ierise. In the season they are to be found in 

 almost every principal market town in England, where they 

 always find a ready sale. It is the principal fruit employed 

 for the making of Cherry Brandy, and it is the only sort 

 which ought to be used by nurserymen for their stocks, on 

 which to bud and graft the better kinds. 



27, Tobacco Leavep, 



