AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



311 



Chenopodtam continued. 



had. During the season of vigorous growth, the plants 

 are greatly improved by watering with liquid manure. 

 Besides the young shoots forming a substitute for As- 

 paragus, the leaves can be used when young instead of 

 Spinach. These are rather large, considering the size of 

 the plants. The hitter must not, however, be too greatly 

 denuded of foliage, or they will soon become worthless. 

 A contemporary writer says that, from a south border, 

 cutting generally commences early in April, and continues 

 until the end of June. When properly grown, the young 

 shoots should be almost as thick as the little finger; and, 

 in gathering, it should be cut under the ground, some- 

 what similar to Asparagus. 



C. ambrosioides (Ambrosia-like). Mexican Tea. JL greenish. 

 L slightly paHatod, oblong or lanceolate, repand-toothed, or 

 nearly entire, the upper tapering to both ends ; spikes densely 

 flowered, leafy or almost leafless. A native of tropical America, 

 but now naturalised in nearly all temperate climates. Annual. 

 See Fig. 424. 



C. atrlplicis (Atriplex-like). JL bright reddish-purple, disposed 

 in clustered heads. L numerous, petiolate. nearly spathnlate. 

 Stem angular, erect, slightly branched, reddish ; voung shoots 

 and leaves covered with a fine rose- violet powder. A. 3ft China. 

 A vigorous half-hardy annual, well adapted for planting on grass- 

 plats, or grouping with other plants in pleasure-grounds. Srx. 

 C. purpurateen*. 



C. Bonus-Henricus.' All-good ; Good King Henry. *, corolla 

 quite campannlate ; spikes compound, terminal, and axillary, 

 erect, leafless. August I. triangular, arrow-shaped, mostly 

 entire, large, dark green. Stems striated. A. lit Britain. 

 Perennial. (Sy. En. B. 1199.) 



C. pnrpnrascens (purplish). A synonym of C. atriplieit. 

 CHERIMOYZR See Anona Cherimolia. 



(Ceratut). There are two species of Cerasus 

 found wild in Britain ; others are natives of Southern 

 Europe. The Morello, Duke, and Kentish varieties are 

 supposed to have been derived from the wild, or dwarf. 

 Cherry (Cerastu Caproniana), and the Geans, Hearts, and 

 Bigarreaus from the tall wild Gean (C. Avium). They have 

 been in cultivation from an early period, and whether the 

 origin of all the varieties now cultivated is confined to 

 these species, or in part to others, is not definitely known. 

 The Cherry is the earliest to ripen of any hardy fruit 

 (at least, the early varieties are), and, being of a very 

 refreshing character, is much appreciated. Those unfit 

 for dessert on account of their acidity are employed for 

 various purposes in cooking, and the Morellos are much 

 used for preserving or bottling in brandy. Fig. 425 repre- 

 sents a corymb of Cherry, with fully expanded flowers. 



Flo. 425. CORYMB OF CHKRRT. 



Propagation. This is effected by budding or grafting, 

 and, to obtain new varieties, by seeds. The stock most 

 generally used for grafting is the wild Gean, obtained by 

 sowing seeds in nursery rows, planting them out at the 



Cherrycontinued. 



i end of the second year, and growing on until large enough 



; for use. The Mahaleb stock (C. Mahaleb) is much used 



i in France, but it is not suited in some soils in England. 



Being dwarf-growing, it is useful for dwarf trees, and for 



! Morello and other small-leaved sorts. The general plan ia 



j to bud in the summer, when the bark runs freely, choosing 



cloudy weather for the purpose, and carefully selecting 



wood-buds. If the buds fail to unite, or do not afterwards 



grow, the stocks may be grafted the following spring. 



Selection of scions for grafting is an important matter. In 



some varieties, the whole length of the shoot will contain 



only blossom-buds, except the one at the point In such 



cases, the hitter must not be cut off. Scions should be 



cut off early in the year, and bud in the ground, until 



the stocks have begun to grow, which will generally be 



in March. If prepared in this way, there is a much 



greater chance of success. 



Soil and Situation. The soil must not be too heavy; 

 neither will a very light one, with dry subsoil, be suitable. 

 A good deep loam, moderately rich and well drained, will 

 suit Cherries admirably. Bank manure should not be 

 j mixed in the soil when preparing for planting ; but well- 

 decomposed leaf soil, burnt refuse, mortar rubbish, Ac., 

 will be of great assistance to keep the compost open if it is 

 ; at all heavy. If Cherries are planted against walls, the 

 i borders should be formed to slope from the wall, in order 

 . to ensure drainage. For Cherry orchards, the site selected 

 i should, if possible, be somewhat undulated, for the same 

 i reason. Cultivation in orchards is not practised in all 

 districts, but in some counties large quantities are grown 

 in this way, notably in Kent, Hertfordshire, and Bucking- 

 hamshire. The position given to Cherry-trees in the 

 majority of gardens, and that most convenient for pro- 

 tection, is a wall, varying in aspect with the sort grown. 

 The earliest should be p anted against a south wall ; 

 the mid-season and main crop varieties will be best suited 

 I with a western aspect : and the Morello and Kentish 

 Cherries will do well on a wall facing north or north-west 

 Various systems of training are adopted for the Cherry, 

 and the one selected must depend on the position and the 

 ! space to be occupied. Standards are the most suitable 

 for orchards, and should be planted from 20ft to 30ft. 

 apart. For covering high walls, an arrangement of fan- 

 trained trees on tall stocks, with alternate dwarf trees, 

 trained in the same way, is probably the best method. 

 Where a large collection is -desired, the trees may be grown 

 in a limited space on either of the cordon systems; but 

 the quantity of each sort will be somewhat limited if this 

 method is adopted. Horizontal training is also practised, 

 about 1ft being allowed between the branches for the 

 Bigarreau and other strong-growing kinds, and about 9in. 

 for those of the May Duko type. 



Protection. The Cherry is an early-flowering tree, and is, 

 consequently, very subject to destruction by spring frosts. 

 Trees on walls may be protected by light shading or double 

 nets in frosty weather, but coverings that exclude light 

 are injurious. Protection from birds, as soon as the fruit 

 begins to colour, is very necessary with all the varieties 

 of Cherries, or the whole crop may be lost Netting 

 the trees is the only effectual remedy. The net should be 

 fastened under the coping, without leaving any open spaces, 

 and be kept from the trees by means of stakes or frame- 

 work, carefully fitting it at the bottom. If any spaces are 

 left open, the birds are sure to effect an entrance. 



Pruning. Very little pruning is necessary with standard 

 Cherry-trees, beyond keeping the heads in shape and evenly 

 balanced. Most of the varieties fruit on spurs, and should 

 have the growths removed in summer to about Sin. long, 

 thereby admitting light to the fruit, and enabling the plant 

 to form ite flower-buds for the following year. If these 

 growths we properly shortened in summer, about the time 

 the stoning process is completed, and all superfluous shoots 

 removed, very little pruning will be necessary in winter. 



