POMOLOGY AS A STUDY. 



157 



occasionally to determine to which group a variety should be referred. 

 This may, however, be overcome by examining several shoots in different 

 stages from various branches on the same tree. 



Cherries. Prunus avium, P. Cerasus, and P. acida. — The majority 

 of Cherries are naturally ranked in two series — those with sweet fruits, 

 and those with more or less acid fruits. They are also distinguished by 

 differences of habit, growth, and foliage, which render the groups more 

 clearly defined. 



The first group, the ' Gean,' ' Guigne,' or ' Mazzard ' Cherries, com- 

 prises the varieties with sweet heart-shaped fruits derived from Prunus 

 avium. These have generally a spreading habit of growth, long leaves, 

 large flowers, and thin petals, including the Black and Red Geans, the 

 Black Hearts, and the Bigarreau types. 



The second main division includes those Cherries to which the term 

 4 Griotte ' has been applied : namely, the Black and Red ' Dukes,' and the 

 Black and Red Morellos (Kentish and Flemish). In the * Duke ' type the 

 growth is upright with broad flat leaves, while in the Morello class the 

 growths are more slender or pendulous with small narrow leaves, acidity 

 of juice characterising all the latter varieties in a marked degree. 



The Morello is referred to Prunus Cerasus, but Prunus acida is also 

 concerned in the Griotte group, for the All Saints Cherry is regarded as 

 identical with P. acida var. semperflorens. 



In each of the classes mentioned the subdivisions depend upon the 

 shape of the fruit and the colour of the flesh and juice. Thus under Geans 

 the arrangement is in this form : 



A. Fruit obtuse, heart-shaped, flesh tender, melting. 



x . Flesh dark, juice coloured. 



x x . Flesh pale, juice uncoloured. 



B. Fruit heart-shaped, flesh firm and crackling. 



(The above subdivisions are repeated.) 



The Griottes are grouped in this order : 



A. Branches upright, leaves large and broad. 



x . Flesh dark, juice coloured, 

 x x . Flesh pale, juice uncoloured. 



B. Branches long, slender and drooping ; leaves small and narrow. 



(The same subdivisions are repeated.) 



A modification of this system could be made with advantage as regards 

 the Griotte group. The 4 Duke ' varieties constitute a distinct section, as do 

 the Morellos also. If three main divisions were formed instead of two, we 

 should have (1) Geans, (2) Dukes, and (3) Morellos with the subdivisions 

 as already indicated. 



Pears. Pyrus communis.— The difficulties of classifying Pears 

 satisfactorily are numerous, and all schemes hitherto prepared are open to 

 various objections in the working. An approximate arrangement only 

 can be secured, and that set out in the last edition of the "Fruit Manual " 

 is the best yet formed, though further study is required. It is founded 

 upon the relative length of the lower (stalk) portion and that of the upper 

 (eye) portion of the fruit for the main divisions, while the relation of the 



