AMYGDALACE^. V. Cerasus. 



511 



planted, as dwarf standards, to be kept under 5 feet in height, 

 some well furnished plants that have been kept in large pots or 



them be cut pretty well in, as otherwise they will push very 

 weakly. Shoots on the extreme parts of the tree that should be 



tubs for a year or two ; such being more fruitful, and less apt shortened for the above purpose, need not however be cut so 

 to go to wood, than plants that have grown in the open ground. closely in. If they be headed back one-third or to half their 

 In planting these the ball of earth should not be much reduced, lengths, it will generally be found sufficient." 

 only a few of the under roots should be spread out, for if the Summer j^runing. Very little of this is requisite, such water- 



ball were reduced, and the whole roots spread out as in the ordi- shoots or breast-wood as arise among the spurs are to be pinched 

 nary way of planting, when it is wished that the plant may push off as they appear, laying in such shoots only of this description 

 freely, the intention here would be thwarted, which is to have as may be wanted to fill an occasional vacancy. Train in the 



summer shoots of the dwarfs as they advance at the distance of 

 about 8 or 9 inches from each other ; and otherwise observe the 

 general rules for pruning cherries on walls and espaliers. 



Stirring the soil. After pruning, the borders are to be forked 



^ wood. Along with 



these may be planted in the same way an apricot or two, or figs, 

 or both, that have been dwarfed in pots or tubs as above. If 

 they succeed it would give a pleasant variety, of which there 



need be httle doubt, as the temperature, soil, and general treat- up, and a little well-rotted dung mixed with sand worked in if 



went for cherries will suit apricots, and not far disagree with thought necessary. In summer they may be slightly stirred on 



figs. These little standards may be allowed a space of about 4 the surface, and weeded to keep them fresh, clean, and neat, and 



feet square each, which is sufficient, as they must not be suffered where a part of the border is outside the house cover with horse- 



to rise high or spread far, on account of shading the trees on the dung or litter in the early part of the season, 

 trellis. In planting of the principal dwarfs and riders, let the 



work be carefully performed. They should be raised with as more generally January and February. " Newly planted trees," 



pes- Nicol observes, " will bear gentle forcing next spring, from the 



The time of beginning to force is sometimes December, but 



sible, placing them just as deep as they have been before, spread- 

 ing out their roots and fibres, and filling in with fine earth. The 

 whole should have a moderate quantity of water, and have air 

 freely admitted every day, defending them, however, from snow 

 or much rain. The house should not be forced the first year ; 



first or middle of March, which ought to be considered merely 

 as preparatory to forcing them fully, till about the first of Fe- 

 bruary the third year." Torbron, if the trees have been re- 

 moved with good balls, admits of gentle forcing the first spring, 

 but prefers deferring it till the third year. He says, *' I have 



«nd It will be better to defer heading in the plants till the middle had an abundant crop of fine cherries from trees which had been 

 or end of March than to prune them now. I shall, therefore, planted only a few months before forcing, but would not recom- 

 take no further notice of them till then, supposing they are to be mend the risking of a whole crop, unless the trees have been 

 attended to with respect to air and moderate waterings. It is longer established." Where cherries are to be ripened early 

 necessary, however, to remark, that the plants should be care- 

 fully anointed with the liquor recommended for vines, see vol. 1. 

 p. 708. either just now or sometime in the course of the month. 



Time of planti7ig. According to Nicol and MThail January 

 and February ; to Torbron early in the autumn. 



•i^vT"^"^' ^^^^^ planted in January may be pruned about the 

 noddle or end of March. The dwarfs planted against the trellis 

 should be well cut in, that is, each shoot of last year should be 

 Shortened back to three or four buds, that the plants may throw 

 out a sufficiency of young shoots to fill the rail from the bottom. 

 , ^^J^/fs planted in the border as little standards need not be 

 neaded in so much, as the intention is to have the fruit full, 



<* that they may grow little to wood from the beginning. 



heu: short shrubby shoots need not be touched, unless bruised w-x. *.v.^. ..^... ..... ..^^^ ^v .^ ...... «..x* — „ -t,^ 



nurt in transplanting, shortening back the longer and weaker maintain as free an interchange of air as the weather will permit, 

 nes a few inches, according to their strength. The riders 

 P anted against the back trellis may be treated very much in the 



in the season he " shuts in about the beginning of December, 

 and lights the fires about the third or last week of that month." 

 Hort. trans. 4. p. 116. 



Temperature. Abercrombie begins at 40**, " and throughout 

 the first week lets the minimum be 40"^, and the maximum 42**, 

 giving plenty of air. By gradual advances in the second, third, 

 and fourth week, raise the course to 42° min, and 45** max. In 

 strong sunshine admit air freely rather than have the tempera- 

 ture above 52°, by collecting the warm air. In the fifth and 

 sixth week the artificial minimum may be gradually elevated to 

 45°, but the maximum should be restrained to 48° from fire heat, 

 and to 55° from sun heat, until the plants are in flower. After 

 the blossoms are shown, and until the fruit is set, aim to have 

 the heat from the flues at 48° min. and 52° max. At this stage 



"lanner, the sole intention being to obtain a few crops of 

 In V ^^^ dwarfs are making wood, and filling their spaces. 



• ^ o^etnber following the trees may be pruned for the succeed- 

 1% season. In order to produce wood to fill the trellis as soon 

 possible, the dwarfs should be pretty much headed in. The 

 in til ^^^ ^^ pruned very much in the manner of the trees 

 e early house, shortening no shoots that are fully ripened, 

 m^^^h ^^^ ^^^^ose at the extremities of the tree, in order to 

 vea ^ M^ throw out others for its full extension upwards next 

 Wish ^^^^"^ber is also the proper time for pruning an esta- 

 As t ^"^^^y-house preparatory to forcing for the next year. 

 i^ y ^^^^s which have been forced m^e very little wood, 

 ^ pruning required is probably nothing further than moderately 

 *oad'"^ ^^^ ^^^ spurs, and to prune off any accidental breast- 



oots 



duci leadmg si 



lig Wood to fill up any blank or vacancy, need not be short- 



the J ^^^ "^^^ ^^^® ^^ ^^^ ^o^'^^ P^^^s ^^ ^^^ ^^^^' except for 



and when the sun heat is strong do not let the temperature within 

 exceed 60°. As the fruit is to be swelled and ripened, the re- 

 quisite heat is 60° min. and 65^ max." In January M*Phail 

 does not let the cherry-house rise higher than 50**. In February 

 " if the thermometer in the morning is as low as 35** there is no 

 danger, but it should rise in the course of the day to imitate 

 nature as near as possible. In the month of March the thermo- 

 meter in the open air in the shade seldom rises above 55^. In 

 the month of April it seldom rises above 65°. But it is observed 

 that when the sun shines on a cherry tree or other trees in the 

 open air, the heat on them is higher than in the shade. The 

 cherry tree is of such a delicate nature to force, that it is impos- 

 sible for any person to write down the exact temperature of the 

 air, which would insure a crop from it in the forcing way." 

 When the fruit is beginning to colour and swell off for ripening, 

 the temperature may be raised 4 or 5 degrees. Torbron (Hort. 

 trans. 4. p. 119.) says, ** for the first three, four, or five weeks 

 of lighting fires, if the weather be so severe as to depress the 

 thermometer in the open air from 22* to 12** degrees ; then let 

 the thermometer inside the house be kept from 35** to 40°, or 



just sufliicient to exclude the frost. If the weather be not severe 



