266 The Kentish or Early RicJiniond Cherry. 



THE KENTISH OR EARLY RICHMOND CHERRY. 



Here in Illinois, and I presume elsewhere, there has been considerable 

 discussion as to the true nomenclature of a very popular cherry, whose great 

 hardiness and productiveness in the not very congenial soils of our rich, 

 wet prairies, have overcome any doubts as to its desirableness as a table- 

 fruit. It is uniformly successful, from the low prairies that lie around 

 Chicago, queen of lake cities, to the rcck-hills that lie behind the Occidental 

 Cairo ; from the wet lands of Champaign County to the high, dry bluffs 

 of Quincy. 



In this paper I propose to trace back its name and origin, from which 

 the reader may judge whether the name of Early r*Iay, met with in a few 

 sections, the quite prevalent one of Early Richmond, or the English one of 

 Kentish, has the best title to the fruit. 



F. R. Elliott, in "The Horticulturist " for October, 1867, gives the latest 

 description of Early Richmond : " The tree is a free grower, spreading 

 and drooping in habit ; spray abundant ; leaf a dark, rich, shining green, 

 broad, oval, acute, pointed at apex ; serratures regular, nearly every other 

 one is deepest ; petioles medium length, green ; fniit of medium size, borne 

 in pairs, round, bright, rich, clear red, becoming darker as it hangs on the 

 tree. Although it is fit to gather in June, it will often hang on until the 

 middle of July. The stone adheres strongly to the stem, so that the fruit 

 may be easily stripped therefrom ; and the corolla almost always remains 

 on the stem, thus marking it. The flesh is of a reddish cast, very juicy 

 and tender, and to many persons' taste a pleasant acid. The stem is set 

 in a deep round basin, very regular." 



Downing describes Kentish, in his edition of 1857, " as an old European 

 sort, better known here as the Early Richmond ; is one of the most valua- 

 ble of the acid cherries. It begins to color about the 20th of May, and 

 may then be used for tarts ; while it will hang upon the tree, gradually grow- 

 ing larger, and losing its acidity, until the last of June, or, in dry seasons, 

 even until July, when it becomes of a rich, sprightly, and excellent acid flavor. 

 The tree grows about eighteen feet high, with a roundish, spreading head ; 

 is exceedingly productive ; and is, from its early maturity, a very profitable 



