4>88 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



wards. Some suppose, that those introduced by the Romans were lost in this country, 

 and that they were again introduced by the fruiterer to Henry the Eighth. Lidgate, 

 a poet of the fifteenth century, says, that they were exposed to sale in the streets 

 of London before his time, much in the same way that they are at present. The 

 gum which exudes from the stem and larger branches, when wounded, is consider- 

 able, and resembles gum-arabic ; it is supposed to be very nutritious. Hasselquist 

 says, that more than a hundred men were preserved from starving, during a long- 

 protracted siege, by letting small pieces of this gum dissolve gradually in their 

 mouths ; and that they lived nearly two months upon no other nourishment. 



There are many kinds of this fruit cultivated ; and the wild varieties are very 

 numerous, as they are yearly propagated from seed. The Romans were acquainted 

 with eight sorts. Tusser, in 1573, mentions red and black. Parkinson, in Charles 

 the First's time, mentions 31 sorts ; and Philip Miller 18 sorts. The nursery cata- 

 logues of the French and English cultivators include from 50 to 80 names. That 

 of the Horticultural Society enumerates 21C varieties ; of these 111 only are con- 

 sidered as cultivated in the Hritish gardens; and of that number, nine are considered 

 varieties of Morello, four black-hearts, four May Dukes, and four white-hearts. 

 The French divide their cherries into three classes: Bigarreatuc, or hard-fleshed 

 ones ; Griottcs, or tender-fleshed ones ; and Guignes, geans or small fruits. We in 

 general only make the distinction between cherries and geans : the former including 

 what the French make two classes of. 



1. May Duke. — Fruit middle-sized, round; red; flesh soft and pleasant; one 

 of our best and most generally cultivated cherries ; upon a wall, in favourable situa- 

 tions, it ripens about the beginning of June. It is a great bearer, either upon a wall, 

 espalier, or standard. 



2. Early Mat Duke. — Is similar to the above, but much smaller, and not by 

 any means so useful a fruit. 



3. Arcii-DUKE. — Fruit middle size, round, and lighter in color than the last. 

 Is ripe in June. 



4. Early Hlac k. — Originated by Knight, in 181G, from the Graflfion and May 

 Duke. Resembles the Waterloo. Middle-sized, round, and pointed ; black ; flesh 

 soft, not juicy. It is said to be earlier than either of the three last, but it is not, ac- 

 cording to our experience ; indeed, if any difference, under the same circumstances, 

 we would say that it is scarcely so early. 



5. Late Duke. — Can only be considered a variety of the arch-duke, which 

 may from circumstances ripen a few days later. 



6. Hlack Tartarian, Fraser's Black Tartarian, Black Russian, Circassian, 

 Superb Dittn, Ronald's Black-heart, Ronald's Heart, Fraser's Bla(k-)wart. — Intro- 

 duced from Russia by M. Fraser, Nurseryman, Sloane-square, in 179C. Fruit large, 

 roundish ; black ; flesh firm ; flavor good- Tree a good bearer ; ripens beginning of 

 July. 



7. White Tartarian, Fraser's WhiU Tartarian, Fraser's White Transparent, 

 Lady Southanipton's, Lady Southampton's Duke, Lady Southampton's Yellow. — Fruit 

 white and transparent ; flavor good ; excellent bearer ; and ripens with the last. 



8. Black Eagle.— Originated by Knight, from the Graffion and May Duke, in 

 1814; the seed sown in ISOG. Fruit large, rather round; beautiful dark red, eo- 

 rered with a delicate bloom ; flesh firm, sweet, and high-flavored Tree very luxu- 

 riant and hardy, an excellent bearer, leaves unusually large. The first produce of 

 fruits from seed is not so fine as they will be after a year or two. A striking instance 

 of this occurred with this cherry w hen first presented at the table of the Horticul- 

 tural Society. It was then (being in an imperfect state from want of age) thought 

 by the Fruit Committee to be good for nothing. The fruit now rivals in richness of 



