On forcing Cherries. 39 



potting is September and October, or any time before forcing ; 

 but the trees will do quite well for late forcing if they are not 

 taken up and potted till they are just about to be put into the 

 house. After potting, before setting the trees in the house, it is 

 necessary to watch the operations of the sparrows, which are 

 very apt to pick off the buds of cherries in the winter season, 

 probably in search of the eggs or larvae of insects. If the trees 

 potted are standards, they may be set on the ground, or on a 

 low stage ; and, if they are dwarfs, upon a higher stage, so as, in 

 either case, to bring their heads within 18 in. of the glass. Thev 

 may be set so close together as that their heads may be within 

 a few inches of touching each other. 



Time of commencing to force. — For the first crop, Mr. Padley 

 generally shut up the house, and began lighting fires, about the 

 the middle of December. The thermometer, for the first fort- 

 night, was kept at about 60° during the day, and 50° during the 

 night ; syringing the trees morning and evening with water that 

 had stood some daj's in the house, and keeping constantly one 

 or two of the sashes open a few inches at the end of the house 

 next the fire, in order to moderate the temperature there. The 

 second fortnight, the heat is allowed to rise to 60° during the 

 night, and to '70° during sunshine, as before. The trees in pots 

 should be watered, when they require it, at the root ; but, for 

 any that may be planted in the ground, the watering over head 

 will be sufficient. When the trees come into bloom, the tem- 

 perature must be lowered to .50° or even lower, both by night 

 and day, except during sunshine, when the heat may be allowed 

 to rise a few degrees higher. During all this time, air must be 

 admitted more or less, both during mild nights and by day ; but 

 especially in the daytime and during sunshine. When fine 

 wheather prevails at the time the trees are coming into bloom, 

 a comparatively greater heat is required at night than during 

 the da}'^ ; because, if they are kept cool at night, the heat of the 

 day is apt to expand the flowers before the stalks have grown to 

 their natural length ; and, if so, although all the flowers might 

 set (which is not the case when they are short-stalked), it would 

 be impossible for a full crop to swell off, as there would not be 

 space enough for the cherries to expand. Watering must be 

 withheld from the tops of the trees during the time they are in 

 blossom, but given as required for their roots, and the floor kept 

 moist by sprinkling it morning and evening. No water should 

 be poured on the flues, because a powerful steaming at this 

 season, would destroy the blossom. 



Trees begun to be forced in the middle of December will 

 come into blossom in the middle of January, set their fruit about 

 the end of the month, and stone it about the middle of February. 



After the leaves expand, it very often happens that a cater- 



D 4 



