230 Account of the Florence Cherry. 



The fruit is well known to persons who have visited 

 Florence, where it is in high estimation, and has been er- 

 roneously supposed to be the Bigarreau of Duhamel, gene- 

 rally known in the neighbourhood of London, by the name 

 of the Graffion Cherry ; but though of the same class, the 

 Florence Cherry differs from the Bigarreau in shape and 

 size, whilst in the quality of its flesh it is superior, and in 

 the time of its ripening is much later. 



The Fruit is very large ; the general form may be denned 

 as being more square than that of the Bigarreau, rather 

 flattened on the clefted size, and rounded on the other ; the 

 footstalk, which is long and slender, is inserted into a deep 

 cup-shaped cavity, the other extremity of the fruit being 

 very obtuse, and not (except in poor and small specimens) 

 pointed like the heart-shaped Cherries ; the Cleft is not deep, 

 but is very perceptibly marked with colour. The Skin is 

 remarkably shining, giving it much the appearance of a 

 wax fruit ; is of a beautiful coral-red on the side next the 

 sun, being pale on the shaded side, but inclining to and 

 tinged with red, the whole surface being minutely dotted 

 with colour. The Flesh is firm, but not hard ; white, and 

 abundantly filled with sweet, rich juice. The Stone is nearly 

 round, and small in proportion to the size of the fruit. 



The tree has much the appearance of the Bigarreau, but 

 the leaves are rather smaller than that variety. It bears a 

 very good and even crop, though not so abundant as the 

 Tartarian or May Duke Cherries: and when planted against 

 a west or south-west wall, which is probably the aspect 

 best suited to it, ripens its fruit at the end of August after 



