IRRIGATION OF CHERRIES 235 



Gumming in the crotch can be largely avoided by starting the 

 young cherry tree as advocated in the chapter on pruning. Branches 

 which emerge from the trunk at separate points and at wide angles 

 seldom gum ; those which are crowded together or emerge at acute 

 angles gum badly, as suggested by the adjacent engraving. In 

 shaping young trees a gumming joint sometimes may be clearly 

 cut out and those branches selected to remain which start out at a 

 wider angle ; in older trees there is nothing to do but keep the fork 

 clean, as already described. 



There are cases reported in which gumming of old trees has 

 been stopped by allowing the ground to lie uncultivated, weeds 

 being cut down with the hoe. As a rule, however, the cherry thrives 

 with good cultivation. 



Die-back of the Cherry. The dying back of cherry branches is 

 more or less common in all regions, and the immediate cause thereof 

 is not known. It is apparently sometimes a root trouble, as is the 

 dying back of other fruit trees. This might have resulted from 

 standing water in the winter in the soil, although the same condition 

 may result from lack of sufficient moisture during the late summer 

 and autumn. Anything which causes the destruction of the root 

 hairs is apt to cause die-back and other forms of unthrift in the top. 

 Early vegetative activity in the branch, followed by frost, seems also 

 to occasion die-back in some cases. Fortunately, this can occur 

 without injury to the rest of the tree, though it is sometimes and in 

 some places destructive to the tree in the end. The only treatment 

 is removal of the affected wood, and this should be done during the 

 growing season, as soon as signs of injury appear. 



The Gopher. One of the most dangerous foes of the cherry is 

 the gopher, for he seldom takes less than the whole tree, young or 

 old. Traces of his presence should be constantly watched for, and 

 killing methods described in a later chapter adopted. If a tree is 

 seen to wit suddenly, the proability is that a gopher has girdled 

 it. Covering the wound sometimes saves the tree, but not usually. 



Insects injuring the cherry will be mentioned in a subsequent 

 chapter. 



IRRIGATION OF THE CHERRY 



As already stated, the cherry is very sensitive to drying out of 

 the soil and should be protected against it by irrigation when neces- 

 sary. In the chief cherry regions the local rainfall is sufficient to 

 mature the crop, and the stress comes later in the season. In that 

 case a good irrigation after the fruit is gathered may be quite 

 enough to keep the tree growing until the fruit buds for the fol- 

 lowing year are plumped out well. If not, as learned by local ob- 

 servation, a late summer irrigation must be given. Where regular 

 irrigation is required, it is usual to irrigate every four weeks after 

 dry weather comes on, until just before the fruit begins to color at 

 two-thirds of full size. This makes the cherries fill out ; but no more 

 water is given until after picking, as that would make the fruit too 



