322 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



The Royal Anne, like the Tartarian, has been extensively planted in 

 this State, and except in years of very heavy crops, has always brought 

 remunerative prices. This is the principal variety used by the canners 

 and for Maraschino purposes. It is of spreading habit and makes a very 

 large tree. It comes into bearing later than the Tartarian. It is a shy 

 bearer when planted in large blocks by itself, and therefore should be 

 mixed with Tartarians or Republicans to insure regular crops. In some 

 orchards, there are trees which differ from the regular type, as they go 

 all to wood and seldom bear a regular crop. 



The Black Republican ripens after the Royal Anne and carries the 

 cherry season into July. It is a very sweet, firm, black cherry of 

 medium size with a short stem, and is a splendid shipper. The fruit 

 grows in clusters and the tree is prone to weaken itself by overbearing 

 unless heavily pruned or thinned when overladen. It is a good 

 pollenizer for other varieties. The tree is vigorous with foliage similar 

 to the Bing. 



The Laml)ert is better known in the Northwest than in California, 

 and is a still later cherry than the Republican — ripening in July. 

 While the Lambert is a good cherry, it is not profitable in California on 

 account of its competition with later fruits. 



In planting a cherry orchard of any size, all of these varieties can be 

 planted to advantage with the exception of the very early varieties, in 

 the late districts, as they insure a long cherry season. This affords a 

 better chance at the markets and at weatlier conditions and also enables 

 one to offer his help work for a longer time, which means a better selec- 

 tion of help. 



The cherry tree will grow on many soils with more or less success. 

 In my experience, the heavy adobe is the only one on which it will not 

 thrive at all. A deep sediment seems to suit it best. There must be a 

 good drainage, as water standing about the roots is sure death to the 

 cherry. It requires a new soil and does not do well on land that has 

 once been planted to orchard, or where there has been a growth of oak 

 trees, or where toadstool fungus is prevalent. The oak tree roots poison 

 the ground and where each oak stood, several cherry trees will be 

 affected. The leaves turn yellow, the tree makes a stunted growth, and 

 in many cases, dies. 



Next in importance to the selection of the soil for a cherry orchard 

 is the selection of the tree. Plant the best you can buy from reputable 

 nurserymen, and, if possible, know that they have been grown from 

 buds selected from trees that bear. I think that the non-bearing of 

 many trees comes from the haphazard selection of buds. I have Royal 

 Annes that nearly always bear and others that seldom bear a crop. 

 Cet trees that have a good root system and have made a sturdy growth 

 in the nursery. Bet\A'een the ]\Iazzard and Mahaleb roots there is not 

 much choice. The INIahaleb may come to a bearing age sooner, but in 

 other respects, I think it is not superior to the IMazzard. The latter is 

 subject to root-knot and some trees pinch off at the union and never 

 make good trees, the trunk being always larger than the root-stock. 

 Both are subject to sour-sap. In some localities the Mahaleb may be 

 giving better satisfaction, but from my own experience, I would just 

 as soon plant the INIazzard. 



In setting out an orchard, the trees should be planted at least 24 feet 

 each way. Thirty feet is better, in which case, peaches can be planted 



