258 CALIFORNIA FRUITS: HOW TO GROW THEM 



are growing right on the bank of the American River, where the 

 soil is a pure, sandy loam, in some places over sixty feet deep, as 

 proved by an old shaft once dug near the center of the orchard. 



But though the cherry dislikes a wet soil, it is particular about 

 its water supply and insists upon enough, its requirements being 

 greater than some other trees. During the dry years 1898 and 

 1899, trees came into distress where they had never suffered before, 

 and many large, valuable trees died. The only new condition 

 they encountered was lack of soil moisture. It thus appears that 

 while the cherry is undoubtedly injured by excess of water in the 

 soil, it is still very exacting in its requirement of an adequate 

 supply. If this can not be retained in the soil by cultivation, irri- 

 gation must be resorted to. Thus the cherry growers in the famous 

 Willows district, of San Jose, usually find it an advantage to give 

 their trees an irrigation between the spring rains and the ripening 

 of the fruit, and another irrigation after the fruit is gathered. 



Irregularity in the moisture supply also causes the cherry to 

 bloom and fruit unseasonably. There has been bloom in October 

 and ripe fruit in January, due to the fact that trees become dor- 

 mant in late summer from soil-drouth. January cherries may be 

 evidences of salubrity but they betoken poor horticulture. 



These facts show that the cherry must have enough water or 

 it will not succeed. Sometimes young trees which have made a 

 good summer growth die outright on leachy soils which dry out 

 before the fall rains begin. On the other hand, there must not 

 be excessive moisture in the soil either from irrigation or by 

 moisture. Cherry trees in southern California, planted with orange 

 trees and given similar irrigation, have failed utterly. Planting 

 on naturally moist land in low places has also failed, and observed 

 facts some time ago led to the conclusion that at the south the 

 cherry should be planted on well-drained land, which could be 

 irrigated (as the behavior of the tree indicated its need of water), 

 rather than on naturally moist land, because of the likelihood of 

 excessive moisture in such situations. More recent experience has 

 declared mellow, well-drained soils of the higher lands well adapted 

 to the cherry, and on such soils, when well cultivated, cherries 

 have done well without irrigation at Pasadena, Pomona and else- 

 where. The commercial cherry product of southern California 

 comes, however, from mountain valleys and high plateaux the 

 chief regions being the Yucaipe Valley above Redlands and the 

 Mesa Grande region in the interior of San Diego County. 



In California, as elsewhere, the Dukes and Morellos may suc- 

 ceed where the Hearts and Bigarreaux fail. The May Duke seems 

 especially hardy, and bears well in Nevada, where other sorts fail 

 utterly. 



