THE CHERRY. 



541 



SELECT LIST. 



Archduke.— Size of fruit about one-fourth larger 

 than the May duke, of which it is evidently a 

 variety, ripening, according to Downing, a fort- 

 night later, and, he thinks, inferior in flavour. 

 Colour at first red, changing almost to black. 

 Tree hardy, and more vigorous in growth than 

 the May duke; somewhat pendulous in habit 

 when grown as a standard. Synonyms — Portugal 

 duke, Groitte de Portugal, Late archduke, Late 

 duke of some, but not the Late duke or Anglaise 

 tardive, which is a different cherry. 



Belle de Ghoisy. — Size large ; colour red; form 

 round ; quality first-rate. A good and handsome 

 fruit, but not a great bearer. Originated in 

 1760 in the village of Choisy, near Paris. Ripens 

 from the beginning to the middle of July. 



Bigarreau.-— Size large ; colour pale yellowish 

 red; form oblate heart-shaped; quality of the 

 highest character. " This noble fruit," says 

 Downing, " is the Bigarreau par excellence, and is 

 unquestionably one of the largest, most beauti- 

 ful, and delicious of cherries." Generally a good 

 bearer, either against a wall or as a standard. 

 Ripens about the end of July. The synonyms 

 are, as in the case of all first-rate fruits, very 

 numerous — viz., Graffion, Yellow Spanish of 

 most American gardeners, White bigarreau of 

 Manning and Kendrick, Amber or Imperial of 

 Cox, Turkey bigarreau, Bigarreau royal, Italian 

 heart, Harrison's heart of Thompson, West's 

 white heart, Transparent of some, Bigarreau 

 gros, Bigarreau tardive, Bigarreau de Holland 

 of Pince. 



Bigarreau, white. — Size very large ; colour 

 yellowish white at first, changing to marbled 

 red ; form heart-shaped, rather irregular in out- 

 line. Downing remarks, " It does not appear 

 to be known at this time in England, though it 

 is probably identical with the Harrison heart of 

 Forsyth, and the Bigarreau of Hooker." It is 

 inferior to the Bigarreau or Graffion in hardi- 

 ness, and is a very poor bearer while the tree is 

 young, though it bears fine crops when it has 

 arrived at from twelve to fifteen years' growth. 

 The trees of this and the former sort may be 

 readily distinguished even when very small, as 

 the Bigarreau has broad flat foliage, while the 

 White bigarreau has narrow waved leaves. 

 Synon3 T ms — White ox heart (of the middle 

 States), Wliite bigarreau (Thomp.), Large white 

 bigarreau, Tradescant (Cox), Ox heart (Cox), 

 Harrison's heart, Turkey bigarreau, Bigarreau 

 blanc. Mr Rivers states that a tree of this 

 excellent cherry exists in his nursery at Saw- 

 bridgeworth, the scion of which, tradition says, 

 was brought from Russia, and presented to his 

 grandfather by Baron Dimsdale, when he re- 

 turned from Russia after inoculating the Em- 

 press Catherine. 



Bigarreau, Holland, (of Downing). — Size 

 very large ; form heart-shaped, rather pointed ; 

 colour very pale yellowish, white in the shade, 

 beautifully mottled on the sunny side with 

 bright carmine red ; leaves very large and 

 broad. This is certainly one of the most beau- 

 tiful of all cherries. Of French origin, and 

 appears to be identical with the Bigarreau dJHoh 

 VOL. II. 



lande, figured in the 2d edition of Noisette's 

 "Jardin Fruitier," and there stated to have been 

 received from Holland in 1828. Of this fine 

 fruit Downing says : " A cherry so large, fine, 

 and beautiful, and so productive even when 

 young, and which is of rapid and hardy growth, 

 cannot fail soon to become a general favourite 

 in our fruit gardens. It ripens about a week 

 earlier than the Bigarreau, and the branches, 

 which are spreading, or even drooping, are 

 literally loaded with heavy bunches of fruit." 

 Synonyms — Bigarreau d'Hollande (Noisette), 

 Spotted bigarreau, Armstrong's bigarreau. Mr 

 R. Thompson makes this synonymous with the 

 Bigarreau. Mr Downing thinks this " is un- 

 doubtedly an error." Mr G. Lindley only 

 notices one Bigarreau in "Guide to the Or- 

 chard ; " Rogers only one in " Fruit Cultivator," 

 but gives us the following interesting informa- 

 tion : " Miller does not mention this cherry in 

 the 4th edition of his Dictionary, nor does it 

 appear in English catalogues till some time after 

 the middle of the last century. It was, for 

 some time after its introduction here, called the 

 Turkey heart, because it was first received from 

 that country into France. The Dutch call it 

 the Graffion, but it is best known by its French 

 name of Bigarreau. It is a curious circum- 

 stance that this cherry must have been in this 

 country for many years before the merits of its 

 fruit were known. It might, perhaps, have 

 been considered as only Harrison's heart, and 

 therefore neglected." There was no such cherry 

 in the Royal Gardens at Richmond in 1770, 

 but Mr Rogers found two fine trees of it in the 

 Surrendon Gardens in 1780. 



Bigarreau couleur de chair. — Size large; form 

 oblong, heart-shaped ; colour pale yellowish 

 red ; ripens the beginning of July ; leaves not 

 very large. Tree moderately vigorous. Mr R. 

 Thompson thinks it inferior to the Bigarreau, 

 " flesh tender, but not rich." Downing, again, 

 says, " It is a beautiful and excellent variety, 

 much more tender in its flesh than most of its 

 class." So much for climate. Our own opinion 

 is, that it deserves a place in every garden. 

 Synonyms — Flesh - coloured bigarreau, Large 

 heart-shaped bigarreau of Manning, with various 

 French synonyms. 



Bigarreau, Napoleon. — Size large; form oblate 

 heart-shaped ; colour pale yellowish red ; flesh very 

 firm, almost too much so ; ripens end of July and 

 beginning of August ; good bearer. Tree hardy. 



Bigarreau tarciif de Hildesheim. — Size above 

 medium ; form heart-shaped ; colour yellowish 

 red; of excellent quality, and has the great 

 merit of being the latest sweet cherry known. 

 Ripens towards the end of August, and keeps on 

 the trees till the middle of October. Tree hardy, 

 and a good bearer. Of German origin. 



Bigarreau, black, of Savoy (Kendrick). — Size 

 large ; form regularly heart-shaped ; colour 

 glossy black when ripe ; hangs long on the tree 

 after being ripe. We have not met with any 

 notice of this variety in any English work. It 

 was received in the neighbourhood of Boston, 

 United States, from Savoy, and although even 

 in America not considered as a first-rate cherry, 

 it is appreciated on account of its keeping. 



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