should have commenced our article sooner; but, as our object is to enumerate them only so far as we can do so with perfect accuracy, we have deferred it until our own trees have come into bearing. We have now nearly one hundred specimen trees, of about as many sorts, which we have received from all the best sources, both at home and abroad, and as they have commenced fruiting this year, we are enabled to give an account of them with the specimens before us. The late Mr. Manning, in an excellent paper in a previous. volume, (VIII. p. 281,) and one of the last which he ever wrote, has given a brief synopsis of forty-four kinds, including several seedlings, which he had fruited in his collection. Our object will be to give the descriptions in detail, with the habits and general character of the trees, together with outline engravings of the varieties enumerated, and we hope they may be the means of aiding the amateur in clearing up the confusion in the nomenclature of this fine fruit. Nothing, it seems to us, could more impress an individual with the importance of a careful selection of the best kinds. of fruit when planting a garden, or an orchard, than an inspection of our market during the cherry season. First, let him look at any of our pomological works, and then at the catalogues of our most extensive nurseries, and he will find there enumerated some sixty or eighty sorts all characterized from "fair to prime;" then let him, and, if he pleases, with catalogue in hand, walk through our market and examine the fruit. What does he find? Why, with three or four exceptions, if, from the limited quantity, they can so be called, he does not meet with one of the varieties. The May Duke, Sparhawk's Honey, Downer's Late Red, a few Tartarians, and a few Bigarreaus, to the amount of some bushels, may be seen; but the named sorts do not amount to one tenth of the supply. The Downton, the Elton, the Black Eagle, the Waterloo, the Florence, and other equally delicious sorts, introduced twenty-five years ago, are not seen, and indeed scarcely known. The whole stock is mazzards, and even poor at that, for we have seen very fine mazzards better worthy of a name than some which have received a high-sounding title. And why all this neglect? Are not the fine sorts to be obtained? Or, are seedlings good enough. Undoubtedly, until within a few years, the former were not to be had in any quantity, and the trees of only moderate size. This, coupled with the prevailing mania for large trees, has induced many to purchase seedlings; but another great cause has been, that few of the many who plant have any knowledge of the superiority of the choice sorts over the wildings, and are contented to know that they have a cherry; and this idea is, unfortunately, too prevalent: for we are assured by nurserymen, that the call for large mazzard trees is still very great. For ourselves, we should as soon think of planting seedling pear trees as seedling cherry trees, for there is almost as much difference between an Elton cherry and a mazzard, as between a Seckel and a wild pear. The cherry has received too little of the attention of amateur cultivators. From the period of the introduction of the Black Tartarian into England, as early as 1794, very little improvement was made until 1814 or 1815, when Mr. Knight, with that application of science to the art of gardening for which he was so eminent, produced several new kinds, remarkable for their beauty and excellence; but, from that period till within a few years, there seems to have been as little done as previous to Mr. Knight's efforts. We have some accidental seedlings of native growth which possess superior qualities, but few attempts have been made to produce new varieties by cross fertilization. The plum, during this period, has been nearly doubled in size, and greatly improved in quality; but there is scarcely a cherry which excels in size, and but few which equal in flavor, the Black Tartarian, the oldest variety we possess. Cultivators have turned their attention to the growth of seedling pears, and we hope that the cherry may also be made the subject of experiment for the production of larger and better varieties. Notwithstanding the apparent efforts of pomological writers. to clear up the doubts in regard to the distinct character of many sorts of cherries, great confusion still exists; and it will be difficult to arrive at certain conclusions only through a careful examination of the trees, foliage, and fruit, of each. Though a work of no little labor, we hope to do our part towards accomplishing it; and our series of articles is commenced with that end in view. Another year, when our trees will be more fully in fruit, we shall be enabled to identify many sorts; for the present, we annex the descriptions. and engravings of three late varieties, each of which are but very little known to cultivators. 1. LATE DUKE. Pomological Magazine, pl. 45. Anglaise Tardive, Hort. Soc. Catalogue, 1842. The origin of this fine cherry is unknown; it was first received from M. Vilmorin, of Paris, by the London Horticultural Society, and though, from one of its names, Anglaise Tardive, it would seem to be of English origin, no trace of it has been discovered in English collections. The Pom. Mag. states that Switzer and Hill, old writers, mention a late May Duke, but it is doubtful whether it could be referred to this variety. Lindley, in his description of the Late Duke, observes that it has great affinity to the Arch Duke, and Thompson, in his Synopsis in the Transactions of the London Hort. Soc., (vol. vii. p. 276,) says that the "Arch Duke may not be found to be different when obtained correct, but that hitherto the May Duke has been received for it." There is no doubt, however, that the Arch Duke is a different fruit, as we shall soon show, and that the true variety had not come under Mr. Thompson's observation at that time. The Late Duke (fig. 33,) is a valuable cherry, ripening very late, of large size, an abundant bearer, and resembling the May Duke in quality, though rather more acid; our tree, though small, was covered with fruit, and, but for the birds, we should have gathered a fine crop; by netting over some of the branches, we succeeded in obtaining some fine specimens, from which our drawing is made. Fruit, large, one and an eighth of an inch in diameter, roundish heart shape, with a slight suture on one side: Skin, rich deep Fig. 33. Late Duke shining red when mature: Stem, long, about one and a half inches, slender, and rather deeply inserted in a shallow cavity: Flesh, pale amber color, tender, and slightly adhering to the stone: Juice, abundant and rich, subacid, similar to the May Duke: Stone, medium size, roundish. Ripe the last of July and beginning of August. The fruit is borne in pairs, or threes, on a short peduncle, about a quarter of an inch in length. The tree is of vigorous, upright, and rather compact growth, little more spreading than the May Duke, and with rather larger leaves. It will prove a very valuable cherry. 2. ARCH DUKE. Guide to the Orchard. Griotte de Portugal, Duhamel. Portugal Duke, of some collections. Late Arch Duke, Hort. Soc. Cal., 3d Ed. 1842. There has been a variety of opinions among pomological writers in regard to this cherry, (fig. 34,) some asserting that it is synonymous with the Late Duke. Lindley is the only English author who seems to have been acquainted with it. Mr. Thompson, at the time he wrote the excellent paper in the Transactions of the Hort. Society, above alluded to, had not proved it, and, as late as 1842, it had not been identified in the garden of the Society. The May Duke has generally been sold for this variety; our tree was received from Mr. Rivers, and is quite unlike either the May Duke or Late Duke, though the habit of the tree is similar; the fruit ripens intermediate between the two, and is more heart-shaped, of larger size, rather darker color, and fully equal Fig. 34. Arch Duke Cherry, to either of them in quality. Fruit, large, one and an eighth of an inch in diameter, obtusely heart-shaped, slightly compressed, with a distinct suture on one side, and indented at the apex: Skin, dark shining red, when fully mature mottled with a deeper shade: Stem, long, about one and a half inches, slender, and deeply sunk in a roundish cavity: Flesh, light red, tender, and slightly adhering to the stone: Juice, abundant, subacid, rich and high flavored: Stone, medium size, oval, compressed. Ripe from the middle to the end of July, about a fortnight before the Late Duke. The fruit is borne, like the Late Duke, in pairs and threes, on a common peduncle, which is about a quarter of an inch to the fork and rather slender. Tree, vigorous, rather more spreading than the May Duke, and with thicker and larger foliage. 3. LEMERCIER. Magazine of Horticulture, Vol. XII. The Lemercier (fig. 35,) is a new French variety of very recent introduction; and a brief account of which will be found in our last volume, (p. 343.) It nearly resembles the Late Duke, ripening about the same time, and of about the same quality. The original tree is said to have been found in Brabant, by M. Lemercier, after whom it was named, and was introduced to Paris by M. Noisette, in 1835. Our tree was received from France in 1842, and bore, for the first time, last season; the present year, the trees were quite full of fruit, although only four years old, and standing in the nursery The fruit was ripe the latest of any cherry, and, but for the high wind and rain of the fifth of August, would have remained in perfection till the present time. row. Fig. 35. Lemercier Fruit, large, one inch in diameter, roundish, and rather obtuse, with a shallow suture on one side, ending in a distinct prominent point: Skin, light shining red, of a somewhat transparent appearance, and marbled with a deeper shade: Stem, rather long, about one and a half inches, moderately slender, and deeply inserted in a large, broad, deep hollow: Flesh, |