104 PROFITABLE FRUIT-GROWING. 



times more Cherries than birds can eat, those they 

 take are not missed ; but where the trees are com- 

 paratively few, and birds relatively numerous, it is 

 most difficult to prevent their devouring the crops, 

 of the sweeter kinds especially. Isolated trees of 

 these must be netted if the fruit is to be preserved, 

 and then the cultivation is not profitable. Where 

 Cherries naturally grow and bear well, and birds do 

 not unduly abound, the crops are lucrative ; and all 

 the cultural details for producing them are em- 

 bodied in the chapters on Apples and Plums. If a 

 few sweet Cherries are particularly desired for home 

 use, it is the best to plant a tree or two against a 

 wall or fence for convenience of netting, the alter- 

 native being to grow dwarf trees in the open where 

 they can be protected. Early Rivers, black ; Elton, 

 pale yellow ; Governor Wood, mottled red ; and 

 Black Tartarian are excellent varieties. If one only 

 is required, no great mistake will be made in 

 choosing Governor Wood, which bears abundantly 

 fruit of the best quality. Birds, however, do not 

 attack Morello or Brandy Cherries, so long as they 

 can obtain any sweeter ; and trees grown as bushes 

 in the open bear heavy crops in the southern and 

 midland counties, and the fruit usually finds a 

 ready sale at a remunerative price to the grower. 

 They are excellent for growing against the north 



