By Mr. Robert Thompson. 



251 



already been stated, that in other cases they are so vague as to be 

 unavailable for the purpose of discrimination. For this reason I 

 have ventured to propose a classification of my own, in which 

 I believe that natural habit will not be found to be neglected. 



The first class consists of Cherries, of which the Bigarreau and 

 Black Heart may be instanced as typical of the better kinds. The 

 leaves are generally large, pendent, waved on the margin, with 

 sharp prominent veins beneath, coarsely serrated, of thinner texture 

 and of a more yellowish green than those of the following class ; 

 buds pointed ; flowers large, proceeding from wood of not less than 

 two years old ; petals loosely set, not forming a well expanded cup- 

 shaped flower, like those of the May Duke, Kentish, &c. stamens 

 slender and irregular in length, some being longer and others shorter 

 than the style, 



The second class is composed of aqueous Cherries, such as 

 the May Duke, Kentish, and Morello. The leaves are generally 

 smaller than those of the preceding class, and have their margins 

 plane, with the veins beneath as they approach the margin almost 

 buried in the parenchyma, which is thicker than in the other class. 

 The petioles support the leaves erect, or at least from hanging 

 loosely and pendent ; the latter are deep green. The flowers ex- 

 pand widely, and the petals hang not loose but form a regular cup- 

 shaped flower, with strong stamens, generally shorter than the 

 style. 



The subdivisions of the first class are taken from the form and 

 colour of the fruit, and require no further explanation. 



In the second class, as all the varieties are coloured nearly alike, 

 no white, nor white and red fruit having yet been met with among 

 them, the form of the fruit, the sweetness or acidity of its flesh, and 

 the colour of the juice, constitute the distinctions of the sections. 



