CHAPTER VIL 



THE CHERRY. 



THE cultivated varieties of the cherry consist of 

 two distinct classes of sorts ; the first, comprising 

 the Mazzards, Hearts, and Bigarreaus, is charac- 

 terized usually by the tall upright growth and py- 

 ramidal form of the tree, by the large, vigorous, and 

 straight young branches, and by a sweet or bitter, 

 but not a sour taste. The second class, or round- 

 fruited, including the Dukes, Morelloes, and the 

 common pie cherry, has small, irregular, and 

 thickly growing branches, and a decidedly acid 

 fruit.* Observation will soon enable any one to 

 distinguish these two classes, even where the trees 

 are not more than a foot in height. It is the for- 

 mer only that are valuable as stocks for grafting 

 and budding, on account of their straight and ra- 

 pid growth. 



Cherry stocks, in common with those of other 

 kinds of fruit, are much the best when raised from 

 seed. The stones, as soon as they are taken from 



* The French divided their cherries into griottes, or tender- 

 fleshed [sour]; bigarreaux, or hard-fleshed; and guignes, or 

 small fruits. Loud. Enc. Plants. 



