CHERRIES NEED THE BEES 229 



inexplicable. Though everything seems to be right, and the blos- 

 soms are profuse, the fruit will not stick. 



CROSS-POLLINATION OF CHERRIES 



Lack of bearing is often due to improper association of varieties 

 in planting. Experiments in cross-pollination of cherry varieties 

 were conducted from 1916 to 1920 in several cherry districts, under 

 direction of Dr. W. L. Howard of the University of California. The 

 following is an outline of observations : 



The Black Tartarian, Burr's Seedling, Pontiac, Black Republican, Rock- 

 port and Governor Wood will pollinate with the Royal Ann, and the Royal 

 Ann will pollinate the Pontiac. 



The Black Tartarian, Burr's Seedling, Royal Ann and Governor Wood 

 varieties may be used with the Rockport. 



The Black Tartarian and Pontiac may be used on the Bing and the Black 

 Tartarian pollinates the Advance. 



Black Tartarian and Black Republican cross well, the former being also 

 the best pollenizer for the Purple Guigne, Chapman, Advance and Black- 

 heart. 



Black Tartarian and Pontiac cross the Lambert, the former being pref- 

 erable. Royal Ann's best performance was with Pontiac. 



It is fortunate that the few cherry varieties which are commer- 

 cially grown in California will cross-pollinate each other, and the 

 planter need not have recourse to several varieties named above 

 which are of no commercial account. These are, however, desirable 

 as garden cherries for amateur planting. 



There is full demonstration that keeping bees in the vicinity of 

 cherry orchards has increased the bearing. But varieties must be 

 provided which will act as cross-pollinizers. 



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 fruit 

 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 old homes in 

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

 new locations before the same varieties were ripe in Napa Valley. 

 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 



