86 THE CHERRY. 



sandy loam, deep and dry. In a wet soil it will not flourish, but 

 soon becomes diseased and dies. The Dukes and Morellos will 

 grow in heavier soil than the Hearts and Bigarreaus, but it also 

 must be dry. Indeed, if the soil be thoroughly drained to a good 

 depth below the surface, especially if there be a porous subsoil 

 through which the surplus moisture passes readily away, there 

 the cherry will do well, even in strong clayey surface soU. Hill 

 sides and even hill tops are better for the cherry than low bot- 

 toms or valleys. 



The trees may be planted about eighteen feet apart, indeed 

 the slower growing Dukes and MoreUos are far enough apart at 

 sixteen feet. They wiU require very little pruning, only an occa- 

 sional removal of interlacing branches, and this should be done 

 in July, when the woimds will heal quickly. They are propa- 

 gated by budding; for although they can be grafted, yet in our 

 climate this method is not as uniformly successful. The best 

 stocks are seedlings of the varieties of cherry known as the Ma- 

 haleb and the Mazzard, the former being thought better adapted 

 than the Mazzard to a greater variety of soils. 



HEART AND BIGARREAU CHERRIES. 



These thrive weU in the warmer parts of Ontario, and along 

 ■the borders of the great lakes, and in a few sheltered situations 

 not immediately influenced by these large bodies of water. 

 Some varieties do well also in the fruit districts of Nova Scotia. 

 In the colder parts of Ontario, throughout the St. Lawrence and 

 Ottawa Districts, and in all the other Provinces of the Domi- 

 nion, with limited exceptions, the climate is too severe for their 

 successful culture. Descriptions of a few of the most desirable 

 sorts are here given. 



BiGABRBAU. — Yellow Spanish. — White Bigarreau. — On the 

 whole, we give the preference to this variety over all the other 

 light-colored cherries. The fruit is of large size, beautiful in 

 appearance, and of excellent quality. The color is a pale yeUow, 

 handsomely marked with bright red dots, and marbled with red 

 on the exposed side; the flesh is pale yellow, with a good deal 



