CHERRY. 207 



crowding. All bruised or injured roots should be cut off and the 

 top cut back to correspond to this trimming. In severe climates 

 it is well to set the trees from four to six inches deeper than 

 they grew in the nursery. In some good cherry districts they 

 are set only two or three inches deeper than they originally grew. 

 Put in some rich black loam and lean the tree slightly to the 

 direction from which the prevailing winds come. Tramp the soil 

 firmly about the roots. Then add more soil and tramp it liglitly, 

 finally filling the hole and raking the top soil or leaving it loose 

 and fine on top. Some water may be used in the bottom of the 

 hole to help pack the earth if desired. 



Age of Trees. Good strong first-class one-year-old or low 

 headed two-year-old trees should be used in planting. In the 

 West one-year-old trees are preferred. In some other sections, 

 two-year-olds with a good root system are used. 



Cultivation. For the first five or six years at least the 

 orchard should be thoroughly cultivated. After that a grass or 

 mulch system may be followed, though it is a question if cultiva- 

 tion is not better. Some vegetable crop may often be raised 

 though it is not desirable to crop the ground too much. Cultiva- 

 tion should start as soon as possible in the spring and continue 

 until the last of July or middle of August, when a cover crop 

 should be sown. 



If the trees are not making a good growth Canada peas or a 

 vetch may be used; if the growth is too rapid and too much wood 

 is being produced, rye may be sown. A bearing orchard should 

 not be permitted to grow too vigorously in late summer, as late 

 growth is made at the expense of fruit. 



Propagation. The cherry, in common with other fruits, does 

 not come true from seed, though the seedlings are often of good 

 quality. The seedlings are generally used as stocks on which 

 to work named varieties. The pits should be managed as rec- 

 ommended for plum pits. Named varieties are propagated by 

 grafting, budding or suckers. Cherries may be grown on a num- 

 ber of different stocks, but the Mahaleb (Prunus mahalebj and the 

 Mazzard, a strong growing variety of Prunus avium, are most often 

 used. These are imported from France. Cions should be taken 

 from healthy bearing trees, and if grafting is employed, the work 



