In tracing the history of the Montmorency cherries from Duhamel's time
to the present we have been led to conclude that three distinct types
are now being cultivated. Of these closely related strains, all of which
probably originated about the same time in Montmorency Valley, France,
Montmorency is by far the most important and the one now grown
commercially in all parts of the country. Large Montmorency, while quite
similar to Montmorency, is much less grown because of its
unproductiveness, although in quality it is quite equal or perhaps
superior to Montmorency. Short-Stem Montmorency, under discussion here,
varies considerably both in tree and fruit from either of the other two,
although it is frequently taken for Large Montmorency. The tree is
smaller and more drooping but usually very productive. The fruit,
similar in size to Large Montmorency, differs from it by being more
oblate and irregular, and in having a very deep, wide suture which
becomes an indistinct line towards the apex. The skin seldom becomes as
dark red even at perfect maturity. The flavor is more sprightly but its
quality is not as high. All three varieties have long lists of synonyms,
many of which have been used for each of the three sorts. Many writers
believe that only two distinct strains of Montmorency exist and that
Short-Stem Montmorency is identical with Large Montmorency. The variety
is little grown in North America and is not as worthy for any purpose as
either of the other two better-known sorts.
[Illustration: SHORT-STEM MONTMORENCY]
Tree upright-spreading, round-topped, productive; trunk shaggy;
branches roughish, reddish-brown covered with ash-gray, with
numerous lenticels; branchlets slender, long, brown partly
overspread with ash-gray, smooth, with conspicuous, numerous,
small, raised lenticels.
Leaves numerous, variable in size, averaging four inches long,
one and three-fourths inches wide, long-oval to obovate, thick;
upper surface dark green, smooth; lower surface medium green, with
a prominent midrib; apex taper-pointed, base acute; margin doubly
crenate, glandular; petiole one inch long, tinged with dull red,
variable in thickness, lightly pubescent, glandless or with from
one to three large, raised, reniform glands on the stalk.
Buds small, short, variable in shape, free, arranged as lateral
buds and on few, if any, spurs; leaf-scars obscure; season of
bloom late; flowers white, one inch across; borne in a few
scattering clusters, variable in number of flowers per cluster;
pedicels one-half inch long, thick, greenish; calyx-tube green
or with a tinge of red, campanulate, glabrous; calyx-lobes with
a trace of red, obtuse, serrate, glabrous within and without,
reflexed; petals roundish-oval, crenate, sessile, with a
distinctly notched apex; filaments one-fourth inch long; pistil
glabrous, equal to the stamens in length, often defective.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account