CHERRIES. 203 



fully exposed and allowed to hang it is more overspread with red and 

 becomes nearly black. Stalk, an inch and a half to two inches long, 

 rather deeply inserted. Flesh, quite pale and opaline, very tender 

 and very juicy, sweet, and of excellent flavour. Juice, pale. 



A first-rate early cherry ; ripe out of doors in the end of June, but 

 in an orchard-house in the end of May and beginning of June. 



It is not a Bigarreau but a Gean. 



EARLY LYONS (Quigne Hdtive de Lyons ; Base de Lyons). — 

 Fruit, of the largest size, obtuse heart-shaped, rather bossed on its 

 surface, and flattened on one side, which is marked with the suture. 

 Skin, of a mahogany colour, deeply mottled with blood red. Stalk, 

 about an inch and a half long, stout, and not deeply inserted. Flesh, 

 tender, deeply stained with red, and of excellent flavour. Juice, red. 



An excellent and very handson^e early cherry, ripening at the same 

 time as Early Jaboulay, but much larger and of darker colour. 



EARLY MAY {Small May; Small Early May ; May; Nain a 

 fruit rond precoce ; Nain precoce ; Indulle ; Petit Cerise ronde precoce ; 

 Petit Cerise roijige precoce ; Fruhe Zwergweichsel ; Weisse Sauer 

 Kirsche ; Friilie Kleine Runde Zwergweichsel). — Fruit, small, round, and 

 a little flattened both at the stalk and the apex. Skin, bright red at 

 first, but the longer it hangs it becomes of a dark red. Stalk, about 

 an inch long, slender, set in a shallow depression. Flesh, red, tender, 

 juicy, and briskly acid. Stone, very small and round. 



One of the earUest cherries ; ripe in the njiddle of June, but now not 

 worth cultivation, since there are so many other varieties which are 

 almost equally as early and very superior to it as dessert finiits. It 

 has for centuries been cultivated in this country, but more on account 

 of its earliness than for any other merit it possesses. 



The tree is of dwarf habit of growth, with slender and pendant 

 shoots. It is tender, and requires the protection of a wall, but is 

 unworthy of such a situation. 



Early May Duke. See May Duke. 



EARLY PROLIFIC. — Fruit, above medium size, obtuse heart- 

 shaped. Skin, pale amber, mottled with crimson. Stalk, two inches 

 long. Flesh, tolerably firm, juicy, rich, sweet, and delicious. 



Ripe in the end of June. 



EARLY PURPLE GEAN {Early PurpU Griotte ; Frillie 

 Schwarze Herzkirsche ; German May Duke ; Hative de Boutamand. 

 — Fruit, large, obtuse heart-shaped, a little flattened on one side. 

 Skin, of a uniform shining dark purple, almost black. Stalk, slender, 

 from two to two and a half inches long, inserted in a pretty wide but 

 shallow depression. Flesh, dark purple, tender, and very juicy, with a 

 particularly rich, sweet flavour. 



A most delicious cherry ; ripe on a wall the last week of May or 



