CHERRIES. 217 



past bearing, and so eaten up by the gum and canker, 

 that the few cherries they bore were very bad. 



"In the years 1790 and 1791, I headed down fifty 

 trees. The operation should be performed in the 

 month of April in each year. These trees made 

 shoots from three to five feet, the same summer, bore 

 fine cherries the next year, and have continued to 

 bear good crops ever since. 



"To the above trees I applied the composition. At 

 the same time I cut down twelve trees in the same 

 row, but did not apply the composition : these twelve 

 trees all died in the second and third years after. 

 One tree where the composition was applied, now 

 produces more fruit than the whole number formerly, 

 also much finer and larger. 



"When cherry trees are very old and much injured 

 by large limbs having been cut or blown off, (which 

 will bring on the canker and gum) the best way to 

 bring them to have fine heads, and to fill the vacant 

 space, is to head them down as low as possible, taking 

 care to leave some small shoots, if there be any ; if 

 not, a bud or two at the end of some of the shoots. 

 Sometimes it is difficult to find any buds. In that 

 case, before you mean to head the trees, make some 

 incisions in the branches. This should be done on 

 different branches, at the most convenient places for 

 filling the tree with good wood. The size of the in- 

 cisions should be from one to two inches, according 

 to the size of the branches, observing to make them 

 just above the joint, where the buds should come out. 



"The time for performing this operation, is March, 

 April or May. The above method is only recom- 

 mended where there are no young shoots or biids, 

 and when the tree is in the last stage of the canker. 



"Where you find a few young shoots or buds, cut 

 down the head as near to them as you can, and take 

 care to cut out all the canker till you come to the sound 



