THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 323 



between, to bo taken out later. The easiest way to lay off an orchard 

 for planting is to use a steel wire from twelve to fifteen tree lengths 

 long, marked with soldered buttons. Lay the tract off into blocks, using 

 the wire buttons to set the stakes and to plant by. Tree holes should be 

 2^ feet in diameter by 2 feet deep. The best time to plant is in January. 

 After planting, the tops should be cut off 2 feet from the ground and 

 the trees protected from sunburn. Tliere are several tree protectors on 

 the market, but for the purpose, 1 have always used old newspapers, 

 which I have found both cheap and satisfactory. I use the whole paper 

 tied with a string at both ends. These stay on for three years, which is 

 as long as they are needed. 



To get a good growth, the orchard should be thoroughly cultivated 

 and irrigated two or three times the first year. A good, uniform first 

 year's growth is important, as stunted trees always lag behind the 

 others. A cherry orchard comes into bearing at about seven years. The 

 Tartarian licars a small crop at five years, but the Royal Anne and Ring 

 bear very little until the eighth year, except on light soils, or where 

 they are crowded by other trees. 



After the trees start, thin out the shoots to four or five, spacing 

 down the trunk if possible. The tree may be cut back the second year, 

 just enough to cause branching. The Black Republican, however, is 

 inclined to branch too much so should be thinned out by summer 

 pruning. 



The Tartarian is a very upright grower and should be kept down by 

 letting some of the growths starting from the lower branches remain. 

 This keeps the sap away from the upper lim1)s and builds up a large- 

 bodied tree, but no suckers should be allowed to come from the main 

 trunk. The JAoyal Anne has a habit of forming long, slender limbs 

 without side branches, and with a heavy crop, bunches of small inferior 

 fruit form on tlie ends of the limbs. Therefore it is well to cut back a 

 foot or more of these week limits and keep the fruit near the sap supply. 



After the trees are in bearing, about all that is necessary to be done 

 in the way of pruning is to keep the weak limbs cut out and the center 

 of the trees open to the sun. The weak limbs will nearly always be 

 found on the inside of the tree. After being cut out, the wounds should 

 be covered with wax or asphaltum. 



On poor soils, or those which do not retain moisture well, the cherry, 

 unless given the best of care, is liable, after bearing a few crops, to stop 

 making a yearly growth and begin to die back. At first only a few limbs 

 show this, but it is only a cpiestion of time until the whole tree is 

 affected. 



Even in the best of soils, the cherry must have an abundance of water 

 at all times, especially after the crop is harvested and during the hot 

 summer and fall months. 



As the cherry matures its fruit early, the trees are exhausted and 

 must have good care during the summer, or they will be in a weakened 

 condition and show die-back the following year. 



Until a few years ago, the cherry grower had less to complain of in 

 the way of pests than any one else in the fruit business. Recently, 

 however, the thrips have become a menace and are doing a great amount 

 of damage to the orchards. The adult thrips work on the blossoms, and 

 while they destroy some fruit, the most serious damage is caused by the 

 thrips larvae. They eat the leaf buds as they unfold, and either destroy 



