The Morello cherry, one of the most useful in our collections, is mentioned by Parkinson in 1629, who says it is so called from its juice being like that of the Morus or Mulberry. In a favourable situation it will ripen its fruit well on a standard, but the crop is precarious. On an espalier, where it has plenty of sun, it succeeds perfectly; and on a north wall it ripens well and bears abundantly; but in this situation its fruit is too austere to be eaten raw, and consequently it is generally used for the purpose of preserving in brandy. I would strongly recommend the Morello cherry to be planted against an east, south-east, or south wall, trained thinly, the branches at least six inches apart, not suffering them to be overloaded with fruit; which should be kept on the trees till it is perfectly ripe, or beginning to shrivel. It will then be found most excellent in the dessert. This is not the Cerisier très-fer M. tile of Duhamel, nor do I find it in his collection. Noisette says he brought it to Paris from Brabant in 1807. 13. WATERLOO. Hort. Trans. Vol. ii. p. 302. t. 21. Fruit large, somewhat round, hollow at the base, mostly round at the apex, but some are a good deal flattened. Stalk long and slender. Skin of a dark lurid appearance; but when quite ripe it changes to a dusky red, approaching to black. Flesh firm, with a high flavoured juice. It ripens some days later than the Black Eagle, the beginning or middle of August. This originated from a seed of the Bigarreau, impregnated with the pollen of a May Duke, and its fruit was first exhibited at the Horticultural Society in 1815. It was named by Mr. Knight, from the circumstance of its first perfecting its fruit after the memorable battle of Waterloo. Mrs. Thomas Pendarves Stack house, a daughter of Mr. Knight's, was presented with the Society's silver medal, January 21. 1817, for having raised it. SECT. II.-Fruit Heart-shaped. 14. BIGARREAU. Hooker, Pom. Lond. t. 46. Graffion. Forsyth, Ed. 7. Nos. 18 and 19. Turkey Bigarreau. Hort. Soc. Cat. No. 17. Fruit large, of an irregular, obtuse, heart-shaped figure, flattened at its base. Stalk two inches long, inserted in a very shallow cavity. Skin pale yellow, becoming amber-coloured when matured, and of a fine red on the sunny side. Flesh firm, pale yellow, slightly adhering to the stone, which is large and round. Juice sweet and well flavoured. Ripe usually the end of July or beginning of August. Young shoots very strong, with a white epidermis. The Bigarreau, or Graffion, cherry is sold in many nurseries under both appellations, as distinct sorts; but I could never discover any difference, after cultivating them for years. The Bigarreau cherry is the strongest upright grower in its young shoots of all the cherries now cultivated; and it has also the largest leaves, excepting the Tobacco-leaved. It is too tender for an open standard, except in a warm sheltered situation. It is best to plant it against an east or south-east wall. 15. BLACK EAGLE. t.9. Hort. Trans. Vol. ii. p. 138. Fruit large, growing generally by pairs or threes, many of which are flattened both at the apex and the base. Stalk long, slender. Skin deep purple, or nearly black. Flesh tender and bleeding. Juice very rich and high flavoured. Shoots very strong, with large leaves. Ripe the end of July or beginning of August. Raised by Miss Elizabeth Knight, of Dounton Castle, about the year 1806, from a seed of the Bigarreau, which had been fertilised by the pollen of the May Duke. The spurs of the Black Eagle produce bunches of ten or twelve cherries each. The trees succeed best against an east or south-east wall. The specimen for the plate in the Hort. Trans. was taken from a north-east aspect when the tree was eight years old. 16. BLACK HEART. Miller, No. 8. Guignier à fruit noir. Duhamel, Vol. i. p. 158. t. 1. f. 1. Fruit pretty large, growing, for the most part, singly, heart-shaped, a little flattened at the apex, compressed on one side, with a slight suture. Stalk one inch and a half long, slender. Skin of a dark purple approaching to black when fully ripe. Flesh pale red, rather firm, but mellow, with a rich well flavoured Juice. Ripe the end of July or beginning of August. Fraser's Black Tartarian. Forsyth, Ed. 3. No. 15. Black Russian, Fraser's Black Heart, Superb Circassian, } of some gardens, according to the Pom. Mag. Fruit large, usually growing singly, heart-shaped, with an uneven surface, and of a shining purplish black colour. Stalk one inch and a half or more, slender. Flesh purplish, juicy and rich. Stone middle-sized, roundish ovate. Ripe end of July to the middle of August. This cherry is generally considered to have been brought into this country from Russia, by the late Mr. John Fraser, in the autumn of 1796. In the Pomona Londinensis, it is stated to have been introduced from Circassia by Mr. Hugh Ronalds, of Brentford, in 1794. And it is also said to have originated in Spain, whence it was transmitted to the Russian gardens, and through them into England. It is a cherry of great excellence, bearing well on a standard, but doing best on an east or west wall, on which its branches are usually loaded with a profusion of rich and handsome fruit. In the nursery quarters the young shoots are the most erect of this class of cherries, with a white epidermis, short joints, and plump eyes; readily recognised from every other kind. 18. BLEEDING HEART. Miller, No. 15. Gascoign's Heart. Langley, t. 17. f. 45. Fruit large, heart-shaped, having the appearance of a small drop or tear at the end. Skin of a dark red colour. Flesh firm, mellow. Juice plentiful, and of an excellent flavour. Ripe in August. The young shoots are diverging with a brown epidermis. 19. COURONNE. Coroun. Langley, t. 16. f.1. Corone. Forsyth, Ed. 3. 11. Duhamel. Vol. i. p. 158. Fruit middle-sized, heart-shaped, generally growing in pairs, sometimes in threes. Stalk two inches long, slender, inserted in a narrow, deep, round cavity. Skin deep purple, or dingy black. Flesh firm, with a deep purple juice, sweet, and of a pretty good flavour. Ripe end of July and beginning of August. The Couronne Cherry reproduces itself from seed, and the trees attain the largest size. They grow in a wild state, and are also cultivated in several parts of England, particularly in some parts of Hertfordshire; and at Framingham and Brooke, in Norfolk, whence they are sent in large quantities to the neighbouring markets. 20. DOWNTON. Hort. Trans. Vol. v. p. 262. Pom. Mag. t. 138. Fruit usually growing singly, very blunt, heart-shaped, nearly round, a little flattened on one side, with a very small suture extending from the stalk to the apex. Stalk about two inches long, slender, deeply inserted. Skin pale yellowish, sprinkled with numerous red spots, with larger patches of dull red or morone on the sunny side. Flesh pale amber, transparent, tender, without any stain of red, adhering slightly to the stone. Juice very sweet and high flavoured. Ripe the middle and end of July. Raised by Mr. Knight from a seed either of the Waterloo or Elton, but from which is not certain. Its fruit was first exhibited at the Horticultural Society July 16. 1822. It bears well as a standard, and in richness of juice it is equal to any cherry cultivated. 21. ELTON. Hooker, t.7. Pom. Mag. t. 92. Hort. Trans. Vol. ii. pp. 157. 301. Fruit usually growing singly, pretty large, heartshaped, much resembling the Bigarreau, but much earlier. Stalk two inches and a quarter long, slender. Skin pale waxy yellow on the shaded side, mottled and dashed with rich red next the sun. Flesh firm, but less so than the Bigarreau; very sweet and rich. Ripe the beginning and middle of July, about the time of the May Duke, or soon after. This very excellent cherry was raised by Mr. Knight in 1806 from a seed of the Graffion, which had been fertilised by the pollen of the White Heart. It bears well upon an open standard, but is much finer when grown against a wall, and is highly deserving of cultivation. |