THE CHERRY. 255 



market fruit, its size and productive habit of tree place it among 

 the very best. 



Fruit large, heart-shape, often obtuse, sides compressed, sur- 

 face uneven, colour dark purplish black, glossy. Flesh dark 

 purple, half tender, almost firm, juicy, rich, sweet, fine flavour. 

 Season, from 20th June to 1st July. 



BLACK MAZZARD. Thomp. Lind. 



Mazzard, 

 Common English, 



Bristol Cherry. 



Cerasus avium. Dec. 



Wild Black Fruited, ~\ 



Small Wild Black, [of English 



Whixley Black, f gardens. 



Merry Cherry. 



Merisier a petit fruit. 0. Duh. 



Merisier a petit fruit noir. 



This is the wild species of Europe, being common in the 

 forests of France and some parts of England; and it has now 

 become naturalized, and grows spontaneously throughout most 

 portions of the settled states. It is the original species from 

 which nearly all the fine Heart and other 

 sweet cherries have sprung. It is small, 

 and of little value for eating, retaining, 

 unless very ripe, a certain bitterness ; but 

 it ripens and hangs on the tree until the 

 middle or last of July, so that it then be- 

 comes somewhat acceptable. 



Fruit small, roundish or oval heart- 

 shaped, flattened a little on both sides. 

 Stalk long and very slender, inserted in a 

 small depression. Skin thin, and when 

 fully ripe, jet black. Flesh soft and melt- 

 ing, purple, with an abundant, somewhat 

 bitter juice. 



The WHITE MAZZARD, of Mr. Manning, 

 is a seedling raised by that pomologist, 

 which differs little except in its colour. 



BLACK EAGLE. Thomp. Lind. 



A very excellent English variety, 

 raised by the daughter of Mr. Knight, at 

 Downton Castle, in 1806, from the seed fi 



of the Bigarreau fertilized by the May- 



duke. It ripens at the beginning of July or a few days late) 

 than the Black Tartarian. 



