GROWING SEEDLINGS FROM PITS 73 



and is largely used on low lands. The Mazzard is, however, chiefly 

 used in California. Cherry stones are sometimes taken from the 

 fully-ripened fruit, dried for. two or three days, the stones cracked 

 carefully and planted at once in good soil and kept properly moist. 

 They will germinate soon and make a growth of a foot or so the 

 first season. Such stocks are taken up for grafting in the winter 

 and set out in nursery row the next spring. A better way of treat- 

 ing cherry is that given by W. W. Smith, of Vacaville : 



The fruit of the Mazzard should be allowed to get perfectly ripe on 

 the tree, then gathered and let lie in a heap for three or four days, so that 

 they may be partially or wholly freed from the pulp by washing them in 

 water. They should then be spread out in the shade and stirred frequently 

 for about twenty-four hours. This will give the outside of the pit time to 

 dry sufficiently to prevent molding, while the kernel itself will remain 

 fresh and green. They should then be placed in moist (not wet) sand 

 and kept so until the rains set in in the fall, when they can be planted in 

 drills, in good, rich, mellow soil prepared the previous spring and kept 

 clean of weeds through the summer, ready for the purpose. They should 

 never be allowed to get perfectly dry; and the reason for it is that we have 

 but little or no freezing and thawing weather in this country to cause the 

 pits to open; but if they are kept constantly moist it answers the same 

 purpose as freezing. The seeds of the Mahaleb cherry will sprout with 

 less difficulty, but the same rules for keeping the Mazzards will apply to 

 them. 



Other stock for the cherry will be discussed in the chapter on 

 that fruit. 



Citrus Fruits. The propagation of citrus fruits will be de- 

 scribed in detail in Chapters XXXII, XXXIII and XXXIV. 



The Larger Stone Fruits. In handling pits of the larger stone 

 fruits, apricot, peach, plum, etc., the chief requisite is to prevent 

 drying and great hardening of the pit. Some plant in the fall and 

 trust to natural conditions to start the seedling in the spring, but 

 this interferes with the cultivation of the ground, and leaves the 

 seedling to grow in soil which has perhaps been puddled by heavy 

 winter rains. There must also be much hand work done to clear 

 the rows from weeds. It is much better to keep the pits from 

 drying by covering with sand moderately moist, hasten the sprout- 

 ing by appropriate treatment towards spring, and then plant out 

 in thoroughly prepared soil, and they will make a satisfactory 

 growth. The following method, by D. J. Parmele, of Vacaville, 

 has given good results : 



Keep the pits out of the sun until the rains commence in the fall, then 

 put them into a box about a foot deep with openings at the bottom for 

 drainage, and scatter sand or fine earth through them, putting about two 

 inches on top, and place them under the eaves of a building on the south 

 side, where they will get well soaked every time it rains. If there should 

 be a long dry spell during the winter, water them a little. About March 

 they will open and sprout. Then take a plow and open a deep furrow in 

 loose, mellow ground, and, with a hoe, pull about two-thirds of the dirt 

 back into the furrow, breaking the clods, and making it fine, the same as 

 you would if you expected to plant onion seed there. Drop the sprouted 

 pits in straight line, and cover two inches. On account of the extra work 

 in preparing the ground, the trees will be large enough to bud in July. 



