CHAPTER V. 



THE CHARACTER AND CONSTITUTION OF THE 



CHERRY. 



There are only a few localities which suit the Cherry. 

 A dry soil and a dry air are the necessary requisites for 

 success in the cultivation of it. In such counties as 

 Devonshire and Cornwall a crop of this fruit is a 

 rarity. In those warm humid climates the Cherry 

 will make flower buds freely, but in consequence of the 

 early opening of the flower and the humidity of the 

 air, combined with frequent cold seasons and sudden 

 changes of the weather, in nine times out of ten a com- 

 plete failure ensues with the best kinds ; and even 

 should the weather prove moderately favourable the 

 dampness of the air prevents the pollen getting dis- 

 tributed, and so no fertilisation can take place ; hence 

 the fruit drops off before it comes to maturity. 



The Cherry, as a rule, is not fond of the knife, and, 

 therefore, summer stopping for trained and bush trees 

 is most commendable as a preventive against gum- 

 ming, to which this tree is much liable. It must be 

 carefully handled in pruning, planting, and in its 

 subsequent cultivation. As a rule it will not require 

 much thinning of the branches, although sometimes a 

 standard will require a little thinning out, as shown in 

 Fig. 34, but this is seldom the case. When done, it 

 should be carefully cut back to a young piece of wood, 

 leaving the young wood of a standard unstopped. 



Fig. 35 shows a fair example of a pyramid pinched- 

 in Cherry, which forms a remarkably pretty object; 

 and a very convenient class of tree it is too, for these 



