ON FRUIT CULTURE. 



989 



to rest by admitting air day and night to the fullest extent, or in 

 the case of pot-trees placing them outside if the weather is not 

 too continuously wet, which would be liable to cause a late growth. 

 However, though too much moisture is injurious, too little is 

 equally bad ; just sufficient water is necessary to properly develop 

 the buds and mature the wood. The well-known Hemskerk, 

 Moorpark, and Kaisha are all suitable for planting out in an un- 

 heated wall-case, and with ordinary attention will produce 

 satisfactory crops. 



Blackberries. 



Many writers have lauded the American Blackberries as 

 worthy of a place in every garden, but unless the seasons 

 are very favourable they are seldom worth growing. Many of 

 our British sorts are far better bearers in all seasons, and the 

 fruit is equally large and of superior flavour to the American 

 varieties. However, these are not worth planting except to 

 cover waste ground, where little or nothing else will succeed. 

 By cutting out all weak and dead wood, and encouraging strong 

 growth by an occasional mulch of manure, very fine fruit indeed 

 is obtained. 



Cherries. 



In the Open.- — Before planting any kind of Cherry-trees one 

 should carefully consider whether the soil is adapted to their culture, 

 or if it can be made so by artificial means. When the soil is 

 shallow, resting on sandstone, gravel, or chalk, the conditions 

 are unfavourable, for though the trees may grow more or less 

 freely for a few years, they will eventually be practically certain 

 to commence gumming or dying back, and prove a failure. 

 Again, if the site is low, damp, or badly drained, it is of little 

 use to plant Cherries, and when the land is heavy and resting 

 on cold clay many of the Sweet Cherries are unsatisfactory. To 

 grow them successfully a well-drained soil is essential, also a 

 fairly good elevation, and if the land slopes to the south or 

 south-west all the better for the welfare of the trees. No doubt 

 a deep loam, varying from a sandy to a moderately heavy cha- 

 racter, is the best. Much can be accomplished in unsuitable 

 soils by excavating and removing the natural earth and replacing 

 it with good fibrous loam. When this is done, it is important 

 that the roots should not be permitted to penetrate into uncon- 

 genial surroundings ; they should be restricted to the border pre- 

 pared for them by the aid of annual mulchings of fresh compost 

 and fertilising matter. This applies, specially to trees planted in 

 gardens against walls, or as bushes ; and with such it is advisable 

 for the planter to order his trees early to enable him to get 

 them in at the end of October or early in November. As 

 already stated under Apples, this early planting enables the 



