Forci?ig the Cherry. 331 



fruit borders, allowing no crop to be reared on their surfaces 

 on any consideration whatever. 



Sorts. — The May duke is generally preferred ; but the mo- 

 rello is better adapted for forcing, particularly in pots, on ac- 

 count of its bearing on the wood of the preceding year ; and it is 

 likely to repay in numbers, being a sure bearer, though it may 

 fall short in flavour. I should prefer dwarf trained trees, two 

 years from the bud or graft, for the trellis ; and round-headed 

 dwarf maiden trees, in tubs or pots, for the area. The season 

 for planting may be a little before the buds begin to swell in 

 spring, or just before the leaves begin to fall in autumn. 



Pruning. — Young trees should be well cut back, till you get 

 a good supply of young wood to begin with ; and this, once got, 

 must not be meddled with afterwards, as no fruit tree, that I 

 am acquainted with, is so impatient of pruning as the cherry; 

 therefore, this process must be performed in spring and summer, 

 by destroying misplaced buds, and stopping over-luxuriant 

 leaders. There is no danger to be apprehended from judicious 

 winter pruning, or shortening of one-year-old wood ; but the 

 greatest care is necessary to be had in this, and every other 

 process in managing the trees, to prevent wounds, bruises, 

 strains, and twists, and particularly accidents with the knife in 

 pruning, as being apt to produce gum, and consequently death, 

 in the injured part, if not the loss of the whole tree. Morellos, 

 planted out, may be pruned and trained as directed for peaches 

 (Vol. XIII. p. 128.) ; and every other sort may be trained hori- 

 zontally, three bricks' depth (or about 9 in.) apart, provided the 

 trees be trained, from the first, in the same manner as is practised 

 for horizontal pear trees. Nothing can be more simple, or more 

 natural, than that an upright leader, shortened to a definite 

 number of eyes (say three or five), should send out shoots right, 

 left, and upright. 



The ill success that generally attends the forcing of this deli- 

 cate and delicious fruit is to be attributed to ill-drained and ill- 

 v/atered borders, and to slovenly supplies of fire, air, and dew. 



The artificial climate of the cherry-house should resemble as 

 much as possible a mild English spring under an Italian sky ; 

 that is to say, plenty of air without wind, warmth without heat, 

 and the healthful dews of a cloudless sky. This may be accom- 

 plished as follows : — First, there should be a good large fireplace, 

 and plenty of hot-water pipes ; the fire should never be allowed 

 to burn fiercely ; and, the extent of pipes being great in pro- 

 portion to the size of the house and the temperature to be main- 

 tained, they will never require to be anything like hot; that is to 

 say, not more than the hand could well bear for any length of 

 time ; and these pipes should be surmounted by a perforated leaden 

 pipe, containing pure soft water, regulated by a brass cock, to 



