224 CALIFORNIA FRUITS! HOW TO GROW THEM 



Lack of bearing is sometimes due to the need of cross fertilization. 

 There is warrant for the claim that keeping bees in the vicinity of 

 cherry orchards has increased the bearing. But varieties must be 

 provided which will act as cross-pollinizers. The Royal Ann needs 

 this assistance and will bear better when associated with Black Tar- 

 tarian, Black Bigarreau, Bing, Lambert and probably others. 



EXPOSURES FOR THE CHERRY 



Exposures for the cherry are chosen both with reference to pro- 

 tection from frost injury and to early ripening of the fruit. The 

 cherry blooms early; though hardly as venturesome as the apricot 

 and almond. In protected situations, guarded from cold northerly 

 winds, and open to sunshine on the south and southeast, the fruil 

 advances to maturity very rapidly. In Vaca Valley about a month 

 of good weather after the blossoming will ripen an early cherry 

 and ripe cherries have been shipped as early as March 31. The 

 pioneer cherry growers of Vaca Valley went there from their old 

 homes in Napa Valley, because they could gather and market cherries 

 in their new locations before the same varieties were ripe in Napa 

 They chose places protected on the north and west by steep hills, 

 The two things to secure are, apparently protection from the sweep 

 of cold winds and elevation above the deposits of cold air, which 

 occur in depressed places. 



In localities where fruit ripens late, as near the coast, there is 

 no need to seek forcing conditions, for the extra early varieties 

 should not be planted except for family use. Early varieties are 

 comparatively poor in quality, and will not sell profitably, as they 

 will reach the market alongside the better later sorts from earlier 

 districts. The place for the cherry in the later districts is on the 

 most proper soil, according to the requirements which have been 

 laid down, avoiding however, so far as possible, wind-swept spots, 

 and seeking amelioration of direct ocean influences by elevation 01 

 intervention of hills and windbreaks. 



PROPAGATION AND PLANTING THE CHERRY 



In the chapter on propagation is given a successful method oi 

 growing cherry seedlings. California cherry trees are almost exclus- 

 ively propagated by budding on seedlings of the Black Mazzard. 

 The Mahaleb root is more hardy than the Mazzard and is less 

 subject to injury by soil saturation during the winter season. It is 

 also more hardy against injury by summer drouth on shallow soils', 

 which is one of the causes of die-back of the cherry tree in some 

 parts of the State. While there may be particular places in which 

 the Mahaleb is the better root, the conclusions of fifty years' experience 

 in California cherry growing, which approve the Mazzard, are on 

 the whole trustworthy. The Mazzard is a better grower and, where 

 moisture conditions are fairly good, leaves little to be desired. The 



