176 HORTICULTURAL MANUAL. 



" (1) Primus avium is tall, with no suckers from the 

 roots, leaves downy on the under side, and the fruit sweet. 

 (2) Prunus cerasus, shorter in growth, with suckers from 

 the roots, leaves glabrous, and fruit more or less sour or 

 bitter." 



But in the centuries of evolution in Asia and east 

 Europe, as well as west Europe, varieties originating from 

 the two original species have been crossed and recrossed 

 until any attempt to classify them botanically must prove 

 unsatisfactory. On this subject Dr. Hooker says: "As 

 with most plants which have been long cultivated it is a 

 matter of difficulty, if not an impossibility, to identify the 

 parent stock of the numerous cultivated varieties of the 

 cherry." Robert Hogg, the celebrated English pomolo- 

 gist, gave many years of study to a horticultural classifica- 

 tion of the European varieties, and in his " Fruit Manual," 

 he gives eight classes which are divided into eight races, 

 as follows: 



CLASS I. GEANS. 



Branches rigid and spreading, forming round-headed 

 trees. Leaves long, waved on the margin, thin and flaccid, 

 and feebly supported on the foot-stalks. Flowers large 

 and opening loosely, with thin, flimsy obovate or round- 

 ish ovate petals. Fruit heart-shaped, or nearly so. Juice 

 sweet. 



Racel. Black Geans. Fruit obtuse, heart-shaped; flesh 

 tender and melting; dark; juice uncolored. Black Eagle 

 and early purple gean are examples of this class. 



Race 2. Red Geans. Flesh pale; juice uncolored. 

 Such as Downer's Late and Early Amber. 



Race 3. Black Hearts. Fruit heart-shaped; flesh half 

 firm; dark; juice colored. Examples are Black Heart 

 and Black Tartarian. 



