138 



THE OECHAED A^'D FETJIT GAEDE]??". 



generally of rampant growth, and it makes little breast- 

 wood. Dae pinching back in summer leaves little to 

 do in winter. The snags of young shoots shortened 

 in summer may be further cut back, where requisite^ 

 in winter, and late-grown, immature wood may be short- 

 ened back to well-ripened wood ; but very little shorten- 

 ing is required for bearing trees, as all which is requisite 

 to induce the production of sufficient shoots for covering 

 the vrall should be done within the first three years after 

 the young tree is put in its place. As in the standards, 

 there will be some shoots to remove in the winter's 

 pruning. 



One important summer work among the cherry trees 

 is to watch the aphides and destroy them, especially 

 from the first warm weather until midsummer. 



The usefulness of cherries need scarcely be spoken 

 of. Morellos are excellent brandied. The Kentish 

 cherry has the property of slipping easily from the stone, 

 and when dried it makes a delicious confection. Many 

 of the cherries are useful in confectionery ; many most 

 delicious for eating, and useful and good in cookery. 

 Cherry wine is said to be nice — of that I cannot speak 

 experimentally; but most persons appreciate the cele- 

 brated German liqueur called Kirschwasser, which is 

 made from cherries. 



It is difficult to keep cherries on the trees, on account 

 of two classes of depredators, with both of which they 

 are great favourites — the birds and the wasps. A cover- 

 ing of netting will keep off the birds, and with dwarf 

 trees its application is not difficult. When preserved 

 with nets, the May Duke may be kept in use from the 

 time it ripens, in June, to the middle of August ; the 

 Late Duke from that time to the end of September; and 

 Morellos to the end of October, or even later. Wasps 

 are more difficult to deal with: to keep them off, we 

 must cover the tree with some kind of gauzy material. 

 not forgetting to destroy all the nests in the neigh- 

 bourhood, as far as practicable. 



