Buds large, conical or pointed, plump, free, arranged singly as lateral buds and in clusters on spurs of medium length; leaf-scars prominent; season of bloom medium; flowers white, one and one-eighth inches across; borne in scattered clusters in twos and threes; pedicels one inch long, slender, glabrous, greenish; calyx-tube green faintly tinged with red, campanulate; calyx-lobes with a trace of red, obtuse, glabrous within and without, reflexed; petals irregular-oval, crenate, with short, blunt claws and with a crenate apex; anthers yellowish; filaments one-fourth inch long; pistil glabrous, equal to the stamens in length. Fruit matures in mid-season; nearly one inch in diameter, oblate, somewhat cordate, compressed; cavity regular, flaring; suture a faint groove; apex pointed or slightly depressed; color dark red almost black; dots small, russet, medium in number, obscure; stem slender, two inches long; skin thin, tender; flesh dark red, with wine-colored juice, meaty, tender, crisp, pleasant flavored, mild, sweet; very good to best in quality; stone free except along the ventral suture, rather small, ovate, slightly flattened, blunt, with smooth surfaces; ridged along the ventral suture. EARLY MAY _Prunus fruticosa_ =1.= Langley _Pomona_ 86, Pl. 17 fig. 2. 1729. =2.= Prince _Pom. Man._ =2=:131. 1832. =3.= Downing _Fr. Trees Am._ 479. 1869. =4.= Hogg _Fruit Man._ 295. 1884. _May._ =5.= Parkinson _Par. Ter._ 571. 1629. _Cerisier Nain à Fruit Rond Précoce._ =6.= Duhamel _Trait. Arb. Fr._ =1=:168, 169, 170, Pl. III. 1768. _Frühe Zwergweichsel._ =7.= Truchsess-Heim _Kirschensort._ 492-498. 1819. =8.= Mathieu _Nom. Pom._ 349, 350, 372. 1889. _Amarell-Weichsel._ =9.= Dochnahl _Führ. Obstkunde_ =3=:57, 58. 1858. _Précoce de Montreuil._ =10.= Mas _Le Verger_ =8=:141, 142, fig. 69. 1866-73. _Griottier Nain Précoce._ =11.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =5=:293 fig., 294. 1877. As the only cultivated representative of the European Dwarf Cherry, Early May should be of especial interest to cherry-growers. It is a true dwarf variety, the trees seldom attaining a height of more than six or seven feet. Both tree and branches are very flexible so that Early May is well adapted to the wall-training of European countries. It has further value in its earliness, being the earliest of all cherries. It is doubtful whether the variety can now be obtained in America but it ought to be reintroduced both for the fruit and because it is a handsome ornamental. Early May has several characters to recommend it to plant-breeders. The description herewith given is compiled from European fruit-books.