104 SUCCESSFUL FRUIT CULTURE 



applied in the spring. Growth should be completed by 

 the middle of September, and this will be insured by 

 the sowing of a cover crop about August 10, or by 

 ceasing cultivation by the middle of August. The 

 cherry succeeds well under turf culture. 



To prevent the cracking of the trunk on the south 

 side a board or stake should be set up to prevent the 

 sun striking it during the fall, winter and spring. The 

 dist- ce for planting will vary somewhat, according to 

 the variety; those making a large tree should be set 

 twenty to twenty-five feet, while the smaller kinds will 

 need only fifteen to eighteen feet each way. It is the 

 practice of many orchardists to plant 10x10 feet, or lOx 

 20 feet, and when the trees begin to come together, cut 

 out every other one. For directions for preparing the 

 trees for planting, planting and after care, see directions 

 for the apple. The cultivation of the orchard to be 

 followed is also practically the same as for the apple. 



Pruning — Very little pruning is required more 

 than to direct the growth, so that there shall be but 

 one leader in case of the sweet cherries^ which are nat- 

 urally pyramidal in form, while the round-headed 

 varieties may have several main branches. Large 

 branches should never be cut away from trees of the 

 stone fruits if it can be avoided. 



CLASSIFICATION 



The varieties of the sweet cherries {Primus avium) 

 are divided into two groups : The Heart cherries, those 

 heart shaped in form, with a very juicy and sweet flesh 

 and the tree of a pyramidal form, illustrated by Gov. 

 Wood and Black Tartarian, and the Bigar?'eau cherries, 

 the fruit of which is also heart shaped, but firm in 

 flesh and the tree rather round and stocky in growth. 

 This group is represented by the Napoleon or Yellow 

 Spanish. Figure 54 illustrates a row of sweet cherries. 



