16 



ROEDING'S FRUIT GROWERS' GUIDE 



A four-year-old Cherry tree illustrating method of pruning. 

 A typical vase-formed tree well supplied with fruit spurs. 



root. That the Mahaleb is a more vigorous grower and 

 has a much better root system is generally recognized 

 by all nurserymen. 



PRUNING 



It is simply disheartening to see some of the un- 

 pruned cherry orchards in Solano county, which stands 

 out pre-eminently as the most important cherry sec- 

 tion in the state today. Compare the quality and 

 quantity of fruit produced with the trees that have 

 been systematically pruned, and the whole fallacy not 

 to cut a cherry tree after the head has once been formed 

 falls to the ground. 



The trees should be headed back to twenty inches. 

 Three to four branches should be allowed to grow to 

 form the head of the tree, and these should be distrib- 

 uted in such a manner as to prevent forks, as the tree 

 has a tendency to split as it grows' older. The first 

 winter these branches should be cut back one-half and 

 the following season not more than one to two branches 

 should be allowed to grow from those left the first year. 

 The third season the new growth should be shortened 

 in about the same, depending on the growth, and some 

 of the laterals appearing near the point of divergence 

 from the main stems should not be cut off but merely 

 shortened in, for the shade they furnish is one of the 

 essential features in the development of the young trees. 

 This same method of pruning should be followed until 

 the fifth year. In after years the cutting should be less 

 severe, but pruning, unless the trees should show too 

 much of a tendency to spread out, should continue 

 every j-ear. This promotes fruit spurs on the large as 



well as on the smaller branches, and in harvesting a 

 crop the even distribution of the cherries from the 

 bottom to the top of the tree cannot but help bring 

 about a feeling of pride in the mind of the grower over 

 the results obtained. There are cherry trees in the 

 Ulatis Ranch Property near Vacaville, managed by Mr. 

 H. A. Bassford, where with one or two exceptions, one 

 of the cherry orchards now fifteen years old, consisting 

 of Bing, Lambert, Royal Ann, Black Tartarian, has 

 been pruned annually. The trees in this particular 

 orchard are simply beauties. The Gummosis, a gum 

 disease, has been overcome in this orchard by slashing 

 the body and framework branches every other year in 

 November. 



The placing of a colony of bees in this orchard has 

 had a decided influence on its bearing qualities. Not 

 only do they benefit the cherries but undoubtedly are 

 responsible for the splendid crops of other fruits which 

 are harvested annually on this large fruit ranch. 



I believe the placing of a colony of bees in any or- 

 chard will be found a splendid investment. 



GATHERING 



Great care should be exercised not to pull the cherries 

 from the stalks when gathering. Several hundred car- 

 loads are shipped from California to eastern markets 

 annually. The cherries are either packed in pound car- 

 tons or in rows in flat boxes of ten pounds each. The 

 fruit is picked when it is mature and, if carefully handled, 

 invariably reaches its destination in prime condition. 

 When gathered for market or transportation on distant 

 shipments cherries should be gathered only when per- 

 fectly dry. For table use the flavor is very much 

 enhanced by placing the fruit for an hour or so in a 



This Cherry tree is six years old. Numerous fruit spurs on 

 the well balanced tree fully demonstrate the advisability 

 of pruning the Cherry annually. 



