480 



CHERRY FORCING IN BRITISH GARDENS. 



Sect. IV. — Culture of the Cherry under Glass. 

 SuBSECT. I. — Natural Data for the Culture of the Cherry. 



1018. The Cherry in its wild state being indigenous to Britain, and as a 

 cultivated fruit brought to as high a degree of perfection in our cHmate as in 

 any other, very little requires to be said on the subject of natural data for 

 culture. The cherry is cultivated in Italy and the fruit attains a large size, 

 but in point of flavour it is inferior to the fruit of the same varieties grown 

 in England, or in central Germany. The cherry is forced in all the northern 

 countries of Europe, and as it produces fruit in the open air in three months 

 from the time of blossoming, it is ripened earlier in forcing-houses than the 

 fruit of any other tree. The temperature and moisture to be imitated are 

 those of April, May, and June. The general practice in British Gardens is 

 to begicL at 40", and throughout the first week to let the minimum be 40°, 

 and the maximum 42°, giving plenty of air. By gradual advances in the 

 second, third, and fourth week, raise the course to 42° mm. 45° max. In 

 strong sunshine, admit air freely, rather than have the temperature above 

 52°, by collecting the warm air. In the fifth and sixth week, the artificial 

 minimum may be gradually elevated to 45°, but the maximum should be 

 restrained to 48° from fire-heat, and to 55° from sun-heat, until the plants 

 are in flower. After the blossoms are shown, and until the fruit is set, aim 

 to have the heat, from the flues or water-pipes, at 48° min. 52° max. At this 

 stage, maintain as free an interchange of air as the weather will permit ; and 

 when the sun-heat is strong, do not let the temperature witliin exceed 60°. 

 As the fruit is to be swelled and ripened, the requisite heat is 60° min. 

 65" max. 



The art of forcing cherries has been carried to a high degree of perfection 

 in the Royal Gardens at Kew and at Hampton Court ; and we shall, there- 

 fore, give a transcript of the practice at these places, as furnished to the 

 Gardener s Magazine by Mr. W. Lam'ence, who was several years journey- 

 man in the gardens at Hampton Court. 



SuBSECT. II. — The practice of Cherry Forcing in British Gardens. 



^Vhen cherries are required at the earliest period at which they can be 

 produced in a forcing-house, which is about the middle of March, it is desir- 

 able to have a stock of plants in pots ; because the entire plant being under 

 the command of the forcer, can be excited much more eff"ectually than if its 

 roots were in the cold soil, and only its head exposed to the action of the 

 warmth of the house. 



1019. The cherry house may be thirty feet long, fourteen feet wide, twelve 

 feet high at the back, and seven feet high in front. The ends should be of 

 glass, and both ends and front should be placed on brick walls two feet high 

 supported by arches. The front sashes may either be hung on hinges at the 

 tops, or at the sides, to open outwards ; or they may be made to slide in 

 grooves. The roof sashes should be in two lengths ; the lower ones to pull 

 up, and the upper ones to let down. As cherries require a great deal of air, 

 and this often during wet weather, above the upper sashes there should be a 

 projecting flashing of lead, to exclude the rain when the sashes are let down 

 an mch or two. The heating may either be by flues or by hot water ; and 

 in either case one furnace or one boiler, with the flue or pipes going round 

 the house immediately within the front and ends, will be sufficient. 



