Cherries at the West. 



CHERRIES AT THE WEST. 



Early May. — Throughout the States of Virginia, Kentuck}', Tennes- 

 see, and those north-west of the Ohio, we have a cherry under the above 

 name. It is identical with the Kentish of Downing and the Early Rich 

 mond of Elliott. 



Throughout the States south of the Ohio, it is known as Early May, oi 

 May Cherry, as it there ripens its fruit in that month. In Ohio, Indiana, 

 and Illinois, it is often called Early Richmond. 



At the last meeting of the Illinois State Horticultural Society, it was 

 concluded to have it hereafter known in this State as Early May. Dr. 

 Warder stated to the society, that, with the present light on the subject, he 

 should also adopt that name in his work on fruits now in course of prepara- 

 tion. There can be little doubt that Downing committed an error in con- 

 founding this cherry with the old Kentish, or Montmorency, neither of 

 which it resembles. 



I have a letter from William R. Prince of Flushing, N.Y., under date of 

 Oct. 13, 1862. He says, "Kentish Cherry of Downing is the same as the 

 Early Richmond, so called on account of its being found by William Prince, 

 in 1793, growing in gardens at Richmond, Va., where he obtained it ; and, 

 not knowing the true name, he called it the ' Early Richmond.' " 



It has not been identified with any European variety : hence we conclude 

 it is an American variety ; an accidental seedling, most undoubtedly pro- 

 duced in Virginia, possibly in the city of Richmond. 



According to the rules of pomology, the elder Prince had the right to 

 name it Early Richmond, had he been correct in the supposition that it 

 had not been named : but the fact that it was well known throughout Vir- 

 ginia, and the States that drew their fruit-trees directly from that source, as 

 Early May, therefore the name ought not to be changed ; and the Illinois 

 State Horticultural Society did an act of justice to Virginia in restoring its 

 tine name, Early May. 



How it was propagated, — In the early days, before nurseries abound- 

 ed, the common practice by our frontier settlers in propagating a choice 

 variety was mainly by suckers, or sprouts. Little grafting was done before 



