204 



THE GAKDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



Class II. — Griottes.— Leaves not Undulated. 



Division 1. — Fruit roundish heart-shaped. 



A, Flesh sweet. 



a, Juice pale. 



b, Juice purple. 



B, Flesh acid. 



a, Juice pale. 



b, Juice purple. 



Division 2. — Fruit round or oblate. 



A, Flesh sweet. 



a, Juice pale. 



b, Juice purple. 



B, Flesh acid. 



a, Juice pale. 



b, Juice purple. 



Dr. Hogg in his Fruit Manual divides the 

 above two classes into Geans and Griottes 

 respectively, a very simple classification that 

 finds favour with most fruit-growers. 



The Cultivation of Cherries. 



Soil and Situation. — The best soil for the 

 Cherry is a moderately rich, free, rather sandy 

 loam, with a well-drained subsoil. Stiff moist 

 soils are unsuitable; and so on the other hand 

 are dry gravelly subsoils. The trees require a 

 large amount of moisture, particularly the sorts 

 with huge leaves, such as the Bigarreau and 

 Heart Cherries. In free soils the roots can 

 more easily travel after moisture; but in clayey 

 or stiff loamy soils, when this is exhausted, 

 they are fixed, as it were, in a compact, hard- 

 baked mass, from which they can draw no 

 moisture. In dry loose soil, on the contrary, 

 there is considerable circulation of air, which, 

 being charged with moisture at night, will 

 afford a supply of that necessary element to 

 the roots, not in abundance, it is true, but to a 

 beneficial extent. 



A southern exposure is the best for the Cherry; 

 but the Morello and Kentish varieties will bear 

 fruit useful for kitchen purposes on a wall with 

 a north aspect. An east wall can also be 

 utilized for the production of a good succession 

 of sweet Cherries. 



Planting.— The soil must be well prepared 

 and in good condition, but not freshly manured. 

 It should be trenched 2 or 3 feet deep, and if 

 there is a stratum of light sandy loam below 

 the surface soil, the latter ought to be placed 

 in the bottom of the trench, and the loam 

 brought to the top. The holes for the plants 

 must be made large, and dug out nearly to the 

 turned-down surface soil; the tree should be 

 planted not amongst heavy clayey loam, but 

 in tolerably rich free soil, and if the latter is 



mixed with turfy loam so much the better. 

 The method of planting the tree is the same 

 as for the Apple, Pear, and Plum. 



The distance should vary according to the 

 size which the variety usually attains, and 

 according to the breadth of its foliage, for if 

 it have large leaves, it will evaporate much, 

 and will require a larger space for its roots to 

 travel in quest of moisture, to make good that 

 evaporation which in dry weather will be more 



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Fig. 1008.— Standard Cherry (May Duke). 



than the amount of rain which falls upon the 

 surface overhung by the branches. As stan- 

 dards the Bigarreau tribe may be planted 

 30 feet apart, or even more in rich soil; the 

 May Duke, Morello, and similar varieties at 

 20 and 25 feet apart. Bushes and pyramids 

 of the vigorous Bigarreau varieties should be 

 12 feet apart; the Duke family 9 feet apart. 

 Single cordons may be 18 inches apart, and 

 the two - branched vertical trained trees 30 

 inches to 3 feet apart. Against walls and 



