332 CROP GROWING AND CROP FEEDING 



headed very low to shield the trunks from the sun. In fact, this low heading 

 of fruit* trees, while the best anywhere, is absolutely essential in the South, 

 if we are to prevent sun scalding on the southwest sides of the trees. 



Cherry trees in more northern sections are budded for the sweet varie- 

 ties on the Mazzard stock, as this makes a larger tree than the Mahaleb ; there 

 only the sour cherries are worked on the Mahaleb stock. The trees are usu- 

 ally set at two years old, but we prefer to set one year trees, as we can then 

 better start the formation of the low head the cherry should always have. 

 With the sour cherries it is essential that the orchard should have good culti- 

 vation throughout its entire life, and the same is true for the best success in 

 orchard culture of any of the varieties, though there are thousands of the 

 most magnificent cherry trees along the fence rows on the Delaware and 

 Maryland Peninsula which have never received any cultivation at all further 

 than that given the fields on which they border ; and yet the trees are vigorous 

 and healthy and produce enormous crops. The sweet cherry tree is a gross 

 feeder and will find food by means of its wide-spreading roots in .a soil where 

 the dwarfer, sour cherries would not thrive, and if the soil for these is made 

 too rich they may run merely into an annual wood growth and bear little fruit. 

 The sowing of a crimson clover crop in the cherry orchard is just as import- 

 ant and useful as in the peach orchard, and all the nitrogenous matter the 

 trees need can be supplied in this way. But, as has been well said in the bul- 

 letin of the Delaware Station, the plowing under of this clover in the spring 

 should be done as soon as the land is in order to plow, for early plowing and 

 subsequent shallow cultivation, is an important matter for the retention 

 in the soil of the moisture the cherry needs for its best development. The 

 Delaware Station advises the application of 300 to 500 pounds of acid phos- 

 phate and 150 to 250 pounds of muriate of potash per acre to the cherry 

 orchard. One of the most extensive cherry growers in Western New York 

 applies three pounds of muriate of potash and two pounds of acid phosphate 

 per tree, either in the spring or when seeding to crimson clover. The regu- 

 lar application -of phosphoric acid is an important thing for the proper ma- 

 turity of the wood in the fall. As with all the stone fruits that bloom early, 

 the cherry will be safer in a northern exposure in most parts of the country, 

 so that the blossoming period may be retarded. The most profitable sour 

 cherries for market are the Montmorenci and the Early Richmond. The 

 same jarring that is practiced with the plum and peach is useful in catching 

 the curculio on the cherry, and should not be neglected. The best remedy 

 against sun scald and bursting of the bark is to head the trees close to the 

 ground and get the protection of the top as soon as possible. 



