The finer varieties of plums are budded or grafted on plum stocks raised from the stones. Young trees bear transplanting very well, four or even six years after they have been budded or grafted ; so that they are often ready to bear the year after being planted. Great pains, how ever, should be taken, to raise the roots at lull length, and to replace them in their new situation without bruising or other injury, and without much exposure to the air.
Cherry.
102. The Cherry tree is the Prunus cerasus, L.; Ce risier of the French, who make three subdivisions, Griot tier Bigarreautier. and Guignier —It.' has been generally said that cherries were introduced into England by the fruiterer of Henry VIII. ; hut Professor Martyn has shown that they were known much earlier. Lydgate, in his ac count of the London cries in the middle of the 15th cen tury, mentions that Byt (supposed white) pescods one began to cry, " Straberys ripe, and cherries in the ryse." Ryse is a word not yet obsolete in Scotland, signifying spray or twigs ; and on the stalls of the Edinburgh fruit market, cherries may sometimes be seen ' in the ryse," or at least stuck on the thorns of hawthorn sprigs, in order to catch the fancy of children. The white pescod is a kind of plum.
103. Parkinson's list in 1629 contains about thirty varieties of cultivated cherries, several of which are still known, and in esteem, as the mayduke, heart, amber, and morello, but others have entirely disappeared. Miller enumerates only twenty-one ; and of these it is not neces sary to notice more than one half, being those commonly cultivated, Of the May-duke, Nicol observes that we have no cherry equal to it, and that the tree thrives in all situa tions. It does very as a standard; but against a good wall, and with a southern aspect,. the fruit becomes considerably larger, and, contrary to what happens in other fruits, it seems to acquire a higher flavour. It ripens early in June ; and before the change of the style, it was often gathered in May : this was particularly the case with a small variety called the Early May.
The Archduke is also called the Late duke : it is a good cherry when ripened on a wall ; but the tree does not an swer well as a standard.
Harrison's heart is a large cherry, of good qualities, and the tree bears freely. The Hertfordshire has a firm flesh and excellent flavour : it is a late cherry, not ripen ing till August. The Carnation cherry has received its name from the fruit, being variegated red and white : it is a late cherry, and requires a good wall.
Though the taste of the Morello cherry, approaching that of the mulberry, is not agreeable to many, yet when ripened on a wall in the full sun, it acquires a size and richness of flavour superior to any other : The tree grows freely, and bears well.
Tate Lundie guigne is of a dark colour, and nearly as large as maydukes which grow on standard trees : it re ceives its name horn Lundie in Fife, the seat of Sir James Erskine, where the original trees still remain. The black coroun resembles the black heart ; it is an excellent fruit, and the tree is a 'healthy grower and great bearer. The black and the white Tartarian cherries arc much culti vated at Petersburgh, and were introduced from Russia about 1797 : the fruit is of good flavour, and ripens early; and the trees produce plentifully. The Kentish cherry is chiefly planted in cherry orchards, and in market gar dens : the flowers being late in expanding, they generally escape the spring frosts, and afford a plentiful crop : the fruit, however, is fit only for tarts.
104 That indefatigable and truly meritorious horticul turist. Mr Knight, has lately added to our list three new cherries raised from seed ; they have been called the Elton, the Black Eagle, and the Waterloo.
The Elton is the offspring of a blossom of the grallion, or arnbree of Duhainel, lecundated by the pollen of the white heart ; it is distinguished by a very deep tinge of crimson in the petals, and by the extraordinary length of its fruit-stalks. The pulp is very juicy, and of de licate flavour. The tree grows vigorously, and is a lice bearer.
The Black Eagle was from the graffion, with the pollen of the mayduke, and the tree and its fruit resemble the mayduke in a considerable degree.
The Waterloo was of the same origin. " It sprang (says Mr. Knight) from the largest and finest ambree cherry that I ever saw ; and I imagine it was the best fed; for it stood alone upon a tree, which was well capable of bearing at least hall a dozen pounds of cherries." The Waterloo is somewhat later than the black eagle. It is nearly as hardy as the rnayduke ; and it has been observed to acquire tolerable perfection even in cloudy and rainy weather. On approaching maturity, one side presents a dark livid colour ; but in ripening, it acquires a rich and deep red colour, nearly black. It is larger than the black eagle, and more conic towards its point.