Toussaint is a marked deviation from its species. Instead of bearing
blossoms normally this variety sends out small branches from the buds.
In the axis of the first four leaves are borne the buds destined to
produce similar branches the following spring. As the branches elongate
these buds remain dormant but others are borne which produce flowers in
umbel-like clusters of two or three. The trees begin blooming three or
four weeks later than other cherries and new buds and flowers appear
continually until August or thereabouts. The tree, too, is most striking
in appearance, being dwarfish in stature, thickly set with pendant
branchlets and, all in all, attractive enough to make it a rather
handsome ornamental. The cherries are of little or no value, being quite
too acid to eat out of hand but furnishing very late fruit which may be
used for culinary purposes. The description given is compiled.
The history of the variety is uncertain. Leroy says that it was
mentioned by Daléchamp, a French writer, as early as 1586. Duhamel seems
to have been the first pomologist to describe it which he did in 1768
under the name Cerisier de la Toussaint. The variety is well known in
Europe, being widely distributed in Austria, Germany, Belgium, France
and England, pomologists and nurserymen in all these countries seeming
to be well acquainted with it. There are no records of its culture in
America, although Prince and Elliott describe it from European fruit
books.
Tree small, hardy, moderately productive; branches slender,
numerous, pendant.
Fruit small, flattened on the ends and sides; stem long; color
clear red, darker on maturing, rather transparent; flesh white
somewhat red at the center, with reddish juice; flavor, if mature,
sour, though not excellent; stone large, long, clings to the flesh
more than to the stem. The fruit borne in October never reaches
maturity.
VLADIMIR
_Prunus cerasus_
=1.= _Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 84, 85. 1882. =2.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt._
75. 1883. =3.= _Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 327, 328. 1885. =4.= _Ia.
Sta. Bul._ =19=:550. 1892. =5.= _Ia. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 454. 1895.
=6.= _Del. Sta. An. Rpt._ 12:128, 129. 1900. =7.= _Ia. Sta. Bul._
=73=:87. 1903. =8.= _Am. Pom. Soc. Cat._ 27. 1909.
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