CHERRIES. 349 



obliquely, and always continued at their full length. In Dukes 

 and Hearts the branches should be eight or nine inches 

 apart, beginning at the bottom of the tree, and continuing 

 each additional shoot in a parallel direction, till the number 

 of series the wall will permit be completed. 



This mode of training will give a curved direction, more 

 or less, after the first two or three on each side have been 

 formed, to every additional shoot before it gains its horizon- 

 tal direction ; in consequence of which, lateral shoots must 

 be secured from the last series in their ascent, in order to 

 fill up the middle of the tree. 



After this there will be nothing further required than to 

 cut off all additional shoots as they are produced, to within 

 half an inch from whence they sprang : the month of May 

 will be soon enough for the first pruning, and July for the 

 second ; after which there will seldom be any more produ- 

 ced in that year. As the trees acquire age, the spurs will 

 advance in length ; but these must be kept within due bounds 

 by cutting them out v/henever they exceed three or four 

 inches : by this means full-sized and perfect specimens of 

 fruit will always be obtained. 



Mordlo Cherries require a difierent mode of treatment : 

 they are best trained obliquely, in the fan manner : their fruit 

 is produced from the last year's shoots, and upon spurs from 

 the older branches ; but the younger those spurs, the finer 

 the fruit ; so that all spurs above two years old ought to be 

 removed. 



The Morello Cherry produces a greater number of shoots 

 than any other variety under similar treatment. This in- 

 duces many gardeners to crowd their trees with double, and 

 sometimes triple, the number of branches which they ought 

 to have, to the great injury of the fruit, without adding in 

 the least either to the bulk or weight of the crop. 



In assigning some limit to this practice, I would recom- 

 mend, that none of the branches should be trained nearer 

 to each other than three inches, and from that to four and 

 five, continuing the out-leaders at full length, as also those 

 which follow at different distances ; insuring at intervals in 

 every part of the tree a supply of young wood to succeed 

 the extreme leaders. When the trees have attained their 

 full size, these leaders should be cut out annually, in the 

 ^vinter pruning, in order to make room for the next succeed- 

 ing branches. By this means the tree will alway be[ kept 

 30 



