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XLIV. Description and Account of a New Early Black Cherry. 

 In a Letter to the Secretary. By Thomas Andrew 

 Knight, F. R. S. $c. President. 



Read August 4, 1818. 



My Dear Sir, 



I have sent, according to your desire, some branches of 

 the tree, which produced the Early Black Cherries, that were 

 shewn at the last Meeting of the Horticultural Society. It 

 is a variety of which I know but very little, the original tree 

 being but eight years old, and it having been trained, till 

 five years old, (when it produced its first fruit,) to a north 

 wall. Three years ago it was removed to a south-east wall, 

 upon which the fruit you received from me grew ; and upon 

 this, its fruit has ripened at least nine days earlier than that 

 of a May Duke Cherry tree, which grows near it, upon the 

 same aspect ; but it does not like the May Duke Cherry, 

 possess the merit of being eatable as soon as its colour 

 begins to change. The tree bore a moderately good crop 

 in the last, and a very good one in the present year ; and, 

 as it grows older, I have reason to believe that it will be very 

 productive, of blossom at least. 



The earliness and beauty of the fruit are, in my estima- 

 tion, its chief merits ; but several of my guests, in the present 

 and last year, thought much more favourably of it; and 



vol. in. F f 



