THE CHERRY 



33 



the Duke and Morello cherries admirably. On the other hand, for pot culture 

 or restricted pyramidal trees, we find that trees on the cherry stock regularly 

 repotted or transplanted are equally as good as those on the Mahaleb. 



Cordons and small trees when young must be root-pruned in any case, 

 fot when free growth ensues, and shoots are pruned hard, this is apt to cause 

 gumming, which may injure or destroy the trees. And we find that where 

 cherries for orchards are budded low, the stems are more easily injured and 

 liable to gum than when budded high on the wild cherry stock named. On the 

 other hand, where cherries sometimes do not succeed on the cherry stock, they 

 may be grown on the Mahaleb. Cherries are very liable to be called after 

 local places, and in this way names have been needlessly multiplied. Fruit well 

 cultivated in orchards differs considerably from the same varieties in starved, 

 poorly treated land. 



CHERRIES FOR ORCHARDS 



For this purpose we have to choose comparatively few sorts, and such as 

 will be profitable during a long series of years, for the life of a standard cherry 

 tree may be a hundred years, except in the case of the Flemish and Kentish 

 Reds, May Dukes, and like sorts. In planting a profitable cherry orchard place 

 trees of the larger growing varieties at 36 feet apart, and plant between each 

 either a Flemish, Morello, or May Duke variety ; or, if the soil is suitable, a 

 plum, or one of the smaller growing sorts of apples. 



Pruning. — The trees being planted according to the general directions 

 given in a separate chapter, they must be duly staked. If the orchard is in grass 

 land, and it is intended to run sheep or cattle among them, they should be 

 cradled to protect them from injury, and then be allowed to grow one year 

 without cutting back. We hold this to be very important. While admitting 

 it to be true that with very careful attention they may be cut back when planted, 

 we believe as a general rule it is far better to allow the trees one year's free growth. 

 They then become established before any cutting back is done. Afterwards a 

 yearly pruning to shape the trees is essential ; but when well-disposed and 

 regulated head and branches are formed, they may be left alone, merely removing 

 any useless shoots and such as cross each other. The Flemish and Morello class 

 require very little pruning. The Bigarreau and black cherries will need 

 attention for three years after planting ; but the Rivers' Early, Elton, and any 

 sorts that have long, pendent shoots, almost a weeping habit of growth, will 

 require attention for five or six seasons in order that the boughs may not be so 

 low as to be in reach of sheep or cattle. And to aid them, they should be cut 

 to a bud pointitig inwards instead of to the usual outside bud, to form at first the 

 desired basin-shaped tree. 



Various Positions. — In Kent it is usual to plant orchard cherry trees in 

 hop fields, removing a hill of hops and planting a cherry. The hop requires 

 liberal culture, and we cannot at all recorfimend this system, because the cherry 

 trees grow too freely, and they are not only liable to injury from severe frost 

 acting upon the unripe wood, but they make such slender growth that, when 



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