Thomas Rivers of Sawbridgeworth, England, is given credit for this variety as a strain of the old Early White Heart. Leroy, however, states that his grandfather propagated this cherry under the name Cerise Panache or Suisse, as early as 1790 but without knowing its origin. He dropped the _précoce_ because other varieties ripened long before this one. Tree vigorous, erect, productive; fruit borne in threes, medium in size, obtuse-cordate, slightly compressed; suture wide; stem long, slender, set in a straight, deep cavity; skin firm, medium thick, changing from lively red to reddish-brown; flesh yellowish, tender, cracking, with uncolored juice, sweet, aromatic; pit large for the fruit; season early. =Early Black Bigarreau.= _P. avium._ =1.= Hogg _Fruit Man._ 69, 80. 1866. =2.= Mortillet _Le Cerisier_ =2=:302. 1866. Fruit large, distinctly heart-shaped; stem long; color jet black; flesh dark purple, firm, rich, sweet; excellent; season the last of June and the first of July. =Early Eugene.= Species? =1.= _Ill. Hort. Soc. Rpt._ 437. 1898. Reported by H. L. McGee, Villa Ridge, Illinois, as being a hardy and productive variety. =Early May.= _P. cerasus._ =1.= _Rural N. Y._ =12=:375. 1861. =2.= _Trans. Ill. Agr. Soc._ =5=:199. 1861-64. =3.= _Am. Jour. Hort._ =1=:123. 1867. =4.= _Ibid._ =3=:18-22. 1868. =5.= _Am. Hort. An._ 84. 1869. =6.= _Country Gent._ =39=:118. 1874. This variety originated a generation or more ago in Virginia and was known there and in neighboring states as Early May. Later, it became widely disseminated in the Middle West where it was often confused with Early Richmond, Late Kentish and Montmorency. Early May should not be confused with a European cherry of the same name formerly grown upon the continent but now seldom seen. The fruit of the American sort is much like Early Richmond though of inferior quality and is now probably wholly replaced by the latter variety. =Early Prolific.= _P. avium._ =1.= Elliott _Fr. Book_ 193, 194. 1854. Early Prolific was raised by Professor J. P. Kirtland, Cleveland, Ohio, in 1842. Tree healthy, vigorous, upright, slightly spreading; fruit large, round, obtuse-cordate; suture distinct; stem variable; skin bright carmine-red mottled on a light amber-yellow ground; flesh rather tender, firm, juicy, rich, sweet; very productive; season early June. =Early Red Bigarreau.= _P. avium._ =1.= Prince _Pom. Man._ =2=:130. 1832. =2.= Hogg _Fruit Man._ 69, 81, 94. 1866. =3.= Thomas _Guide Prat._ 23. 1876. =Bigarreau Rouge de Guben.= =4.= Leroy _Dict. Pom._ =5=:242 fig., 243. 1877.