Book I. 



CULTURE OF THE CHERRY-HOUSE. 



form degree of moisture, but also of temperature. Of course the moss must be kept 

 watered. Peach-trees, in pots, are sometimes trained to small fan-trellises attached to 

 the pot ; but in general they are pruned as dwarf-standards, in which form they bear 

 fully better than when trained. When tlie fruit is nearly ripe, the pots ought to be re- 

 moved from the hot-house or vinery to a cooler and more airy situation ; or, if in pits, 

 the sashes may be taken off a part of every fine day. In other respects, the treatment 

 of peach-trees in pots is similar to that of trees in borders. 



3115. Williams, of Pilmaston, observes, that in respect to the quality of fruit from peacli-trees in pots, 

 " by far the best-flavored peaches I have ever tasted, were from trees planted in large pots, and kept in a 

 vinery from February till the first week in June ; when the trees were removed into the open air, and 

 after being shaded a little from the sun for the first ten days, were placed in the most open part of the 

 garden till the fruit became ripe. Treated in this way, the peach becomes beautifully colored on the out- 

 side, and of a most exquisite flavor." Occasionally, in very warm seasons, peach-trees in pots, when 

 forced very early in the season, and afterwards plunged in the open air, will produce a second crop late 

 in autumn ; but this is more matter of curiosity than of utility. It frequently happens with forced 

 cherries and strawberries. {Hort. Trans, iii. 367.) 



3116. Peach-trees as standards. The peach bears remarkably well in the standard 

 form, planted in the middle of a house ; and the flavor of the fruit is universally ac- 

 knowledged to be preferable to that grown on the trellis, from the comparatively free cir- 

 culation of air. The glass tent, or moveable house (Jig' 226. ), might be most advan- 

 tageously applied in this way ; and when the fruit began to ripen, the sashes could be 

 removed, and applied to ripening a late crop of grapes against a common wall, or 

 to cover pits or houses which had not been forced. 



Sect. IV. Of the Culture of the Cherry-house. 



3117. No fruit is inore difficult to force than the cherry. The blossoms of forced trees 

 are apt to fall off' before the fruit is set, and the fruit will keep falling off" before and 

 after they are as large as peas. This is thought to be occasioned by a kind of stagnation 

 of air about them, which affects the tender blossoms and young fruit. 



3118. Soil. M'Phail says, " Take light, sandy, rich, mellow earth, and make a border 

 of it the whole width of the house, and four feet deep." Nicol — " The border should be 

 from twenty-four to thirty inches deep ; the bottom, if not naturally mild and dry, to be 

 drained and paved. The soil should be a sandy loam, or light hale gardeii-earth, made 

 moderately rich with stable-yard dung well reduced, or with other light compost. If a 

 small portion of lime, or a moderate quantity of marl were mixed with it, so much the 

 better. The soil for cherries to be forced in pots or tubs, should be considerably richer- 

 than the above." Torbron uses fresh virgin soil and rotten dung. {Hort. Trans. 

 iv. 116.) 



SI 19. Choice of sorts. M'Phail, Nicol, and all gardeners, agree in giving the prefer- 

 ence to the May-duke. Nicol says, " None of the other kinds set so well, except the 

 Morella, which I do not hesitate to say well deserves a place : it is a -good bearer, and 

 the fruit, when forced, acquires a superior size and flavor." (^ICal. 295.) 



3120. Choice of plants. M'Phail takes standards of different heights in a bearing state ; 

 Nicol, clean, healthy, young plants, that have been one or two years in training against a 

 wall. Torbi-on trees, eight or ten years from the bud, and selected of such various 

 heights as best suited the size of the house. 



3121. Situation if the plants in the house. M'Phail and Torbron plant in rows, be- 

 ginning with the tallest in the back side, reserving the shortest for the front, letting them 

 slope to the south gradually, somewhat in the form in which plants are set in the green- 

 house. (G. Rem. 146. ; Hort. Trans, iv. 116.) 



3122. Nicol has a trellis against the back wall for wall-trained trees, and a border ni front, in which he 

 plants dwari-standards. The dwarfs against the back trellis, he plants eight or ten feet apart. Riders that 

 have been three or four years trained, and are well furnished with fruit-spurs, may be planted between the 

 dwarfs. They may probably yield a few fruit the first season ; and will hardly fail to produce plentifully in 

 that following. " In the border may be planted, as dwarf-standards, to be kept under five feet in height, 

 some well furnished plants that have been kept in large pots or tubs for a year or two ; such being more 

 fruitful, and less apt to grow to wood than plants that have grown in the open ground. In planting these, 

 the ball of earth should not be very much reduced ; only a few of the under roots should be spread out ; 

 for if the ball were reduced, and the whole roots spread out, as in the ordinary way of planting, when ii is 

 wished that a plant may push freely, the intention here would be thwarted ; which is, to have the plant 

 dwarf and fruitful, growing little to wood. Along with these may be planted in the same way, an apricot . 

 or two, or figs, or both, that have been dwarfed in pots or tubs, as above. If they succeed, it would give a 

 pleasant variety ; ofwliich there need be little doubt, as the temperature, soil, and general treatment for 

 cherries will suit apricots, and not far disagree with figs. These little standards may be allowed a space of 

 about four feet square each, which is sufficient, as they must not be suflfered to rise high, or spread far, on 

 account of shading the trees on the trellis. In planting of the principal dwarfs and riders, let the work be 

 carefully performed. They should be raised with as good roots, and be kept as short time out of the 

 ground as possible ; placing them just as deep as they have been before; spreading out their roots and 

 fibres, and filling in with fine earth. The whole should have a moderate quantity of water, and have air 

 freely admitted every day ; defending them, however, from snow or much rain. The house should not be 

 forced tlie first year ; and it will be better to defer heading in the plants till the middle or end of March, 

 than to prune them now. I shall, therefore, take no further notice of them till then, supposing they are to 

 be attended to with respect to air, and moderate waterings. It is necessary, however, to remark, that the 

 plants should be carefully anointed with the liquor, either just now, or some time in the course of the 

 month." 



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