Report upon the Varieties of the Cherry. 



249 



the authors of that country are however far from being agreed 

 upon the sorts that should be referred to their divisions. Instead 

 of attempting to reconcile their differences, which would be a long 

 and difficult subject of inquiry, the object of this paper will proba- 

 bly be sufficiently effected if I mention what appears to be most 

 generally agreed upon among them. 



The divisions in question are the following: viz. Merisiers, 

 Guigniers, Bigarreautiers, Cerisiers, and Griottiers. 



1st. The Merisiers. These are like the wild Cherries of the 

 woods ; and such of them as have fruited in the Garden agree with 

 what is stated of them by Noisette in his Jardin Fruitier, p. 15. 

 The fruit is small, and consequently with little flesh ; the latter 

 containing, even in its fullest maturity, enough of bitterness to jus- 

 tify the name of Merise y formed it is said from the words Cerise 

 aniere. It may be observed that from this French name of Merise, 

 has probably originated the appellation given to wild Cherries in 

 some parts of England, where they are called Merries. The Merry 

 Cherry of Cheshire mentioned in his English Flora by the late 

 Sir James Smith would be ranked by the French among the 

 Merisiers. 



2nd. The Guigniers. Partly in this division, and partly in that 

 of the Bigarreautiers, are included the Heart Cherries of this 

 country. It appears from the generality of those trees in the 

 Garden which bear the name of Guignier that the fruit is heart- 

 shaped, with rather tender, juicy, sweet flesh; their colour is 

 chiefly black. 



3rd. The Bigarreautiers. The principal difference between 

 these and the Guigniers consists in the greater firmness of the flesh 

 of the Bigarreaux ; but from this difference no complete distinction 

 can be drawn, for the tenderest of the Bigarreaux, and the firmest 

 of the Guignes are, in this respect, on an equality. The Bigarreaux 

 are generally of a pale waxy white on the one side, with a blush of 



