- 1. Del. Sta. An. Rpt. 12:118. 1900. 2. Budd-Hansen Am. Hort. Man. 2:275. 1903.
- Orel No. 23. 3. Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt. 327. 1888. 4. Ia. Sta. Bul. 73:68, 77 fig. 17. 1903.
This, which we think is the true Early Morello, is worthy an extended description in The Cherries of New York chiefly because there are several cherries of this name. The confusion results in much vexation to cherry-growers in the West where, only, these cherries have been planted. The full description should make clear at least the character of the variety which is being grown at this Station as Early Morello. About all that can be said of the variety as it grows here is that the trees are hardy, healthy, vigorous, fruitful and regular in bearing. The cherries show the variety to be of the Amarelle group but are such as to make it far inferior to Montmorency and other well-known Amarelles. The name is misleading, as the variety has little in common, in tree or fruit, with the true Morellos.
The cherry described here as Early Morello was introduced by Professor J. L. Budd from Orel, Russia, as Orel No. 23. It has proved very productive and hardy throughout the West and resembles Early Richmond, though smaller, a trifle darker, less acid and a week later. A dark-fleshed variety from Erfurt, Prussia, was sent out from Rosedale, Kansas, where it is known as Early Morello. This, and one by D. U. Reed, Blue Springs, Nebraska, appear to be very similar to the Northwest, or Wier No. 29.
Tree of medium size and vigor, upright-spreading, very productive; trunk rather thick, shaggy; branches with numerous large lenticels; branchlets slender, short; leaves two and three-fourths inches long, one and one-half inches wide, thick, stiff, dark green, rather glossy, smooth; margin finely and doubly serrate, with small, dark glands; petiole glandless or with from one to three small, globose, brown or yellowish glands variable in position; buds small, short, obtuse, in small clusters at the ends of slender, branchlike spurs; leaf-scars prominent; season of bloom late; flowers one inch across; pistil equal to or slightly longer than the stamens, sometimes defective.
Fruit matures in mid-season; about three-fourths of an inch in diameter, oblate, compressed; color attractive dark red; stem one inch long, adhering to the fruit; skin thin, tender, separating from the pulp; flesh light yellow, with pinkish juice, tender and melting, sprightly, tart; of very good quality; stone free, ovate, flattened, slightly pointed, with smooth surfaces, somewhat tinged with red.
EARLY PURPLE
Prunus avium
- 1. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 26. 1909.
- Purple Cherry. 2. Ray Hist. Plant. 1540. 1688.
- Early Purple Guigne. 3. Cultivator N. S. 4:280 fig. 2. 1847. 4. Hovey Fr. Am. 1:93, 94, Pl. 1851. 5. Am. Pom. Soc. Rpt. 55. 1852. 6. Am. Pom. Soc. Cat. 211. 1856. 7. Mas Le Verger 8:129, 130, fig. 63. 1866-73. 8. Mortillet Le Cerisier 2:57 fig. 3, 58, 59. 1866. 9. Horticulturist 25:71 fig. 1870. 10. Leroy Dict. Pom. 5:334, 335 fig., 336. 1877. 11. Hogg Fruit Man. 295. 1884. 12. Guide Prat. 6, 193. 1895.
- Purple Guigne. 13. Elliott Fr. Book 195 fig. 1854.
Early Purple is a valuable cherry on account of its earliness, its attractive color and high quality. The trees bear well and regularly after having become established in the orchard. The variety has the reputation of being a poor grower in the nursery and as a young tree in the orchard but with age it takes on vigor and at all times is as healthy as those of any Sweet Cherry. More than most cherries, this variety responds to good care and a choice cherry soil—a warm, free-working loam being best. A rather unusual and serious defect of this variety is that the fruit-spurs are easily broken during picking and the crop of the next season thereby cut short. Another fault is that it is the favorite food of the robin where this, the worst of all cherry pests, abounds. The cherries of this variety do not attain their rich purple color until full maturity is reached. Hogg, the English pomologist, maintains that Early Purple does better on the Mahaleb than on the Mazzard stock. No home collection should be without this variety and it can often be profitably grown as an early cherry for the local market.
Early Purple is the Early Purple Guigne of most fruit-books, the name having been shortened by the American Pomological Society, though, since the variety goes back to the Early Purple of Ray in 1688, the name here used has the right of precedence. As to what the origin and history of the variety were before Ray mentioned it, we can find no record. Early Purple was brought to America over a hundred years ago. According to Elliott, eastern growers received it directly from England, while in the West it was brought over by a party of German emigrants, under the name "German May Duke" and as such it is still much grown in localities in the Central West. In 1852, the American Pomological Society listed Early Purple as one of the promising new fruits and later, in 1856, it was given a place, which it has since retained, on the Society's catalog of fruits recommended for general cultivation.
