POPULAR CHERRIES 



265 



standing water in the winter in the soil, although the same condition 

 may result from lack of sufficient moisture. Anything which causes 

 destruction of. the root hairs is apt to cause die-back and other 

 forms of unthrift in the top. Early vegetative activity in the 

 branch, followed by frost, seems also to occasion die-back in some 

 cases. Fortunately, this can occur without injury to the rest of 

 the tree, though it is sometimes and in some places destructive to 

 the tree in the end. The only treatment is removal of the affected 

 wood, and if this can be done during the growing season, as soon 

 as signs of injury appear, it is all the better. 



The Gopher. One of the most dangerous foes of the cherry 

 is the gopher, for he seldom takes less than the whole tree, young 

 or old. Traces of his presence should be constantly watched for, 

 and killing methods described in a later chapter adopted. If a 

 tree is seen to wilt suddenly, the probability is that a gopher has 

 girdled it. Covering the wound sometimes saves the tree, but not 

 usually. 



Insects injuring the cherry will be mentioned in a subsequent 

 chapter. 



VARIETIES OF THE CHERRY 



Many varieties of the cherry have been tested in this State, and 

 many have been abandoned from one cause or another. Those 

 most frequently starred in our table are the survivors in public 

 esteem. As our reports have come from those who grow for 

 market, possibly some sorts are too tender for shipment, but excel- 

 lent for family use, are omitted, but will be included in the descrip- 

 tions which follow the table. The claims to value upon which a 

 variety is judged are several: Extra earliness, an important con- 

 sideration in early districts for shipment, and elsewhere for local 

 sale or famliy use; firmness to withstand mechanical injury by 

 jarring in transit and durability to escape decay during the long 

 journey to distant markets; firmness and fixed color to stand pro- 

 cessing in the cannery, and to prevent coloring the juice; lateness 

 to extend the cherry season. 



In classification of cherries it was originally considered 

 that there were four classes of cherries. The Hearts were the 

 tender and half-tender sweet cherries, while the Bigarreaux were 

 the firm-fleshed ones ; but these have been so intermingled and 

 blended together by hybridization that no distinct line can now 

 be drawn separating them. There is really but one class of these, 

 whose main characteristic is the large, vigorous growth of the 

 tree. The Duke and Morello cherries, also wanting a natural divis- 

 ion, really constitute but one class. 



