CULTURE OF THE CHERRY. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



THE CHERRY. 



The Cherry (Prunus cerastes), originated in Asia and was first 

 introduced into Italy from the town of Cerasus, from whence 

 comes its specific name. It is a very delicious, healthful fruit, 

 easily grown, but on account of its perishable nature is not gen- 

 erally considered a profitable crop. ' 



Propagation. — Varieties are propagated by budding upon 

 seedlings in the nursery. The seedlings are imported or native, 

 and are easily grown. The seed, which is generally imported, 

 should be from strong, vigorous seedling trees, known as the 

 Mazzard stock, and should be planted as soon as gathered, or 

 preserved in sand to prevent too much drying, which is liable to 

 injure the vitality of the seed. The best soil for the seed-bed is 

 a light, rather rich, warm soil. A too rich soil, however, causes 

 an over-gro^vth that is undesirable. 



The Nursery. — The seedlings planted in a light soil in the 

 nursery, are budded in August. This is considered one of the 

 most difficult seedlings to bud on account of the very watery 

 nature of the sap. The buds take best when the stock is just 

 maturing, or where the growth is rather slow. In setting the 

 bud, care should be taken to cut it evenly and smooth, and to 

 bind very firmly, cutting off or heading-in the top of the seed- 

 ling after the bud has been tied. 



In grafting large trees, the work must be done early in the 

 spring, — from April 1st to the 15th in this latitude of Massa- 

 chusetts — to be successful. At two years from the bud the trees 

 are ready to transplant to the orchard. 



The Orchard. — The best soil for the growth of tliis fruit is 

 one rather light and moderately rich. It is often found growing 

 vigorously and in perfect health along roadsides in turf where the 

 growth matures early and where the roots are well protected from 

 the extremes of heat and cold. In very rich or moist soil the 

 tree is generally injured in the winter by the action of the frost 

 which bursts the bark and causes large cracks in the trunk, gen- 



