

Cherry 



( 200 ) 



Cherry 



Forms of Trees. Trees are trained in the shape 

 of standards for orchard culture, bushes and 

 pyramids for gardens, standard and dwarf fan 

 trained trees for walls, single cordons for the same 

 purpose, and orchard house trees for pot culture. 



SoU. The Cherry prefers a deep, mellow loam, 

 containing some lime. Proof of this is given by 

 the way the trees flourish in some of the chalky 

 mediums in Kent. Free drainage is of great im- 



CHEKKY EARLY KIVEKS (see p. 201). 



portance, the presence of stagnant moisture being 

 fatal to healthy growth. 



Orchard Trees. Autumn is the best time for 

 planting, and the trees should be placed about 

 30' apart. The grass under Cherries should never 

 be mown for hay, but be grazed off by sheep. Un- 

 restricted standards require little pruning. All 

 that is necessary is to keep the head of the tree 

 open, and thin out the shoots that rub and cross 

 each other. Full bearing specimens appreciate 

 manure in either a liquid or a solid state ; and if 

 the soil lacks lime, top-dressings of chalk or lime 

 rubble are beneficial. 



Garden Trees. The habit of bush and pyramid 

 trees worked on the Mahaleb stock renders them 

 suitable for garden culture, and they should be 

 planted in good porous soil, not less than 12' apart. 

 Judgment must be used in the pruning of trees 

 grown on a restricted principle, remembering that 

 sweet Cherries produce clusters of fruit buds on 

 spurs. Having regard to the tendency of the trees 

 to exude gum when the sap is not flowing freely, 

 the principal pruning should consist of pinching 

 back superfluous lateral shoots in the summer, 

 shortening spurs where necessary, and thinning out 

 any crowded growths in the early autumn. Do 

 not prune in severe weather. When young trees 

 make exuberant growth, but produce no fruit buds, 

 they should be lifted, have, the gross roots short- 

 ened a little, and then be replanted. 



Wall Trees. On warm aspects the earliest and 

 finest sweet Cherries are obtained from trees on 

 walls. Deep, porous soil is requisite, and if at all 

 retentive a dressing of old mortar rubble should be 

 applied, and dug in before planting. The fan 

 system of training is the best, and pruning consists 



in laying in the leading shoots, and others where 

 room admits, pinching back superfluous growths to 

 within one or two buds, to form spurs. For the 

 reasons stated above, summer pruning is advised. 

 Morello Cherries are suitable for north walls, and 

 not being of the same habit as the sweet varieties, 

 the treatment is somewhat different. Fruit is 

 produced chiefly on wood of the previous season's 

 growth, and the pruning consists of cutting out old, 

 useless branches, and laying in young shoots for 

 fruiting. Mulching and liquid manure are beneficial 

 to fruiting trees, and specimens showing signs of 

 weakness are improved by removing the surface 

 soil, and top-dressing with a loamy compost con- 

 taining mortar rubble and wood ashes. 



Cherries under Glass. Cherries may be success- 

 fully grown under glass, either in pots or planted 

 out, but they resent hard forcing. Air should be 

 admitted on all favourable occasions, particularly 

 during the flowering period, and watering must be 

 carefully attended to. Give air freely after the 

 fruit is gathered, in order to ripen the wood. 



Enemies. Birds. Ripe Cherries never fail to 

 attract birds, and the netting of wall and garden 

 trees is the best means of preserving the crop. In 

 orchards constant attendance is necessary when 

 the fruit is ripe, and a gun, or other means of 

 scaring away the birds, must be employed. 



Ulaek Aphis (A. Ccrasi). The young shoots are 

 often attacked by this pest, which causes the 

 leaves to curl and frequently fall. (1) Boil 1 Ib. of 

 Quassia chips and 1 Ib. of soft soap in 4 gallons of 

 water. Strain, and apply warm. (2) Boil 1 Ib. of 

 soft soap in 1 quart of water for an hour. Remove 

 from the fire and add J pint of paraffin. Add 

 8 gallons of clear water, mix thoroughly, and apply 

 with a syringe. 



Red Spider. Trees on walls are liable to attack 

 in hot, dry seasons. (See KED SPIDER.) 



Slngmorms (Tcntliredo Ccrasi}. The larvae of this 

 pest frequently injure Cherries by. eating and 



CllEKUY ElU'EKOK FttAXCIS ( P. 201). 



Nothing is better than 

 the affected parts %vith 



skeletonising the leaves, 

 hand-picking and dusting 

 lime. 



Gumming. The exudation of gummy matter is 

 a common failing with Cherries. It is more pre- 

 valent in the case of trees worked on stocks than 

 those grown on their own roots. The exudations 



