CHERRY CULTURE. 



By J. Beebe, County Fruit Inspector for Lane Coanty. 



In presenting this subject I am aware that much has been said and 

 written on it, and what I may say will be largely repetition. But, in 

 considering an industry that is of as much importance as cherry- 

 growing, some things will bear repeating, especially at this time when so 

 many who are without practical experience are planting fruit trees. 

 Any reliable Information on the more important points in the culture 

 of the trees may be of great help to them. 



To make a success of cherry growing one must Start right. Select 

 a good, deep soil, well drained. That is, land where not only the surface 

 water runs off readily but which also has a good under-drainage. 



The ground should be well prepared, subsoiling to a depth of 16 or 

 18 inches, thus giving the roots a chance to become established down 

 where they will have moisture, and making it possible to plow without 

 disturbing the roots. This is very important, as there is nothing that 

 hurts a cherry tree more than disturbing the roots. The plowing or 

 cultivating should be done every year; for if left uncultivated the feeding 

 roots come close to the curface for air and plant food; then, if cultivation 

 is resumed these roots will be torn and disturbed, which causes trouble 

 with the trees. 



The trees for setting should be one year old, good, heavy stalks 

 and well matured before removing from the nursery row. All large- 

 growing sweet cherries should be set forty feet apart, and the trees 

 when planted cut back to twenty inches high. Cultivated crops, such as 

 potatoes or com, may be planted between the rows while the trees are 

 small; or peach trees may be set between each row and when cherries 

 and peaches have grown large enough to crowd remove the peaches and 

 give the cherries all the ground. 



In the cultivation of a cherry orchard there may be a difference of 

 opinion on account of soil and moisture conditions. There are locations 

 where the moisture remains good during the season, or we might say, 

 where there is sub-irrigation. Here the cultivation might be discon- 

 tinued after the trees have become well established but under ordinary 

 conditions cultivation should be maintained. 



After the trees begin to bear cover crops may be sown in the fall 

 and plowed under the next spring to keep up humus in the soil and 

 furnish plant food for the trees. Here in the Willamette Valley the 

 vetch makes a good cover crop; for, being a legume, it furnishes nitrogen, 

 giving the trees a dark green color and vigorous growth. Where there 

 is plenty of wood growth, rye, oats, or anything that will keep up the 

 humus, may be sown instead of vetch. 



Cherry trees require but little pruning. Just enough in the start to 

 give the tree its shape, or to cut out cross limbs and center limbs that 

 carry the tree too high. 



While all these things are necessary for successful cherry growing, 

 there are still others that must be mentioned; and perhaps we might 



