FORCING DEPARTMENT. 423 



CULTURE OF THE CHERRY. 



It is universally acknowledged, that of all fruits 

 accelerated by the aid of artificial heat, that of the 

 Cherry is the most difficult, particularly at an early 

 season, as the tender blossoms are very liable to drop 

 off without setting their fruit, which is generally 

 occasioned by the imperfect impregnation of the 

 parts of fructification ; therefore, when a supply of 

 this fruit is wanted at the table, at an early season, 

 there should be a large stock of trees kept in large 

 pots or boxes, and grown on the premises for a year 

 or two previous to placing them in the Forcing 

 Houses, in order that they may get their roots well 

 established in the pots or tubs, which should then be 

 plunged in rotten leaf mould, and kept regularly sup- 

 plied with water during the Summer months, in 

 which situation they are left until wanted to be 

 brought into the Cherry House, which is generally 

 about the 1st of February, when the first set of trees 

 is introduced ; and for a succession of fruit there 

 are other sets of trees brought in, about three weeks 

 afterwards, and so on, until all that are intended to 

 be forced through the early part of the season are 

 introduced, bringing in only about a dozen and a half 

 at a time ; and those first excited will generally have 

 ripened their fruit by the latter end of April, when 



