THE CHERRY. 



The cherry, which for a time was a comparatively neg-Iected fruit in Ontario, 

 is now being more largely planted^nd better culture is being given it. As a 

 result, this delicious fruit is now Keing produced in fairly large quantities in cer- 

 tain sections, and as the crop is more uncertain than that of any of the other 

 large fruits, the prices obtained for cherries are good. 



There are three well recognized groups into which the cultivated cherries 

 are divided, the Morello or Sour cherries, the Bigarreau, Heart, or Sweet cher- 

 ries, and the Duke cherries, which are intermediate between the other two groups, 

 the fruit being usually subacid. The hardiest varieties are found in the Morello 

 group, and for this reason these Sour cherries have succeeded over a much larger 

 part of Ontario than the others. The eastern limit of the commercial culture of 

 the Sour cherries is about the city of Kingston, but north-east of that district 

 along the St. Lawrence River, especially within twenty or thirty miles of the 

 water, they succeed admirably. They are not grown to any extent north of lati- 

 tude 45 degrees, as it has been found that the dry cold winters kill the fruit buds, 

 and it is only rarely that a crop is produced. Near the northern limit of the suc- 

 cessful culture of Sour cherries, it has been found that large bodies of water 

 have a very beneficial influence in lessening the winter injury. 



The Sweet and Duke cherries have a much narrower range than the Sour 

 cherries. While they will succeed along Lake Ontario east of Toronto, where 

 the influence of the water moderates the climate, the crops are too uncertain for 

 their commercial culture, hence this is confined mainly to the south-western parts 

 of the Province. 



More care is required in choosing a site for cherries than for apples. A 

 warm sandy loam or gravelly well-drained soil is to be preferred, and while the 

 trees may succeed for a time on poorly drained cold soil, they will not reach a 

 great age and are not likely to prove profitable. A site should if possible be 

 chosen where there is the least danger from spring and summer frosts, as cherry 

 blossoms are tender. 



The preparation of the land for apple trees and directions for planting of the 

 same may be followed for the cherry, but even more care should be taken ir 

 planting, as cherries are much harder to transplant than apples. For this reason 

 one or two year old trees should be used, as the loss from planting older trees is 

 liable to be great. 



As the trees of the Morello cherries do not reach a great size, they may be 

 planted closer than the others ; from eighteen to twenty feet apart being suf- 

 ficient ; while for the Sweet cherries twenty-five feet is not too much. The Duke 

 cherries, which do not grow quite so large as the Sweet, may be planted about 

 twenty feet apart. 



The pruning to shape the cheiry tree is much the same as for the apple, 

 but after the tree becomes well shaped the less pruning done the better. Often 

 serious injury occurs when cherry trees are severely pruned. Gum oozino- from 

 the tree is an indication of such injury. 



Thorough cultivation is as necessary for cherries as for apples, and cover 

 crops are, if anything, more necessary. 



Varieties Recommended. 



General List, Approved by the Board op Control. 

 Hardy: Orel 2.5, Orel 24, Richmond, Montmorency, Russian 207. 



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