278 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [April 3, 1920. 



Pruning. 



Except to form a head, the cherry is not generally pruned; when necessary 

 to shape or balance a tree, it is found that the best plan ife to pinch back the 

 young shoots. In the cool districts, if trees in bearing are pruned in the 

 winter, little or no bad effect takes place; but in the warmer districts, winter 

 pruning is apt to cause gumming from the efiects of which the trees die in a 

 few years. 



Fertilisers. 



Generally speaking, the cherry requires as little fertiliser as any fruit 

 grown. An occasional crop of black tares, grown in the winter and ploughed 

 UHtder in the spring, will be found beneficial. 



'The mineral constituents of the cherry are: potash, 51-85 per cent.; 

 «oda, 1-12; magnesia, 5-46; lime, 7-74; phosphoric acid, 14-21 ; sulphuric 

 acid, 5-09; and silicic acid, 9-04. 



Phosphoric acid, potash and lime are the chief ingredients taken from 

 the ground, and are therefore those that need to be restored. Several 

 useful fertiliser mixtures for cherries will be found in the leaflet " Fertiliser 

 Mixtures for the Orchard," copies of which are obtainable free on applica- 

 tion to the Department. 



Cultivation. 



The cherry is not a very long-lived tree (the hardy varieties living from 

 thirty to forty years) excepting under very favourable conditions. It js 

 advisable to subsoil the land before planting. The trees should be planted 

 from 20 to 24 feet apart, according to the richness of the soil. Trees on 

 rich soil grow vigorously and to a good size, and therefore require extra 

 space to accommodate their branches. The land should be ploughed at 

 least once a year, cultivating from time to time so as to conserve moisture 

 and prevent the growth of weeds. 



Picking and Marketing. 



Many varieties of the cherry are most delicate and very susceptible to injury, 

 and the fruit must therefore be handled carefully; it should be gathered 

 with the stalk intact, separating it carefully from the spin's or branches, 

 aa it keeps much better with the full stalk. The fruit should be gathered 

 when dry and cool, and under rather than over ripe, aVid the bloom should 

 be preserved on varieties which show any. The proper way to handle the 

 fruit id by the stems. Varieties which bruise easily should be picked into- 

 shallow baskets holding about 10 lb. ; kerosene tins which have been cut 

 in halves for the purpose have also been found suitable. Care should be 

 taken to see that the fruit spurs are not broken off at the time of picking. 



The case which finds most favour with both growers and buyers is the 

 1 2 lb. case. At the tim.e of packing, all stemless cherries should be rejected, 

 and the top layer of fruit faced in rows with the stems hidden. This work 

 can be done best by women and girls, who lay the cherries on the bottom of 



