CHERRY FORCING IN BRITISH GARDENS. 



481 



1020. Kinds of cherries for forcing^ potting plants^ S^c. — The May Duke 

 is decidedly the best cherry for forcing. The Morello forces well, but 

 requires more time to bring it to maturity ; and, though it looks well in the 

 dessert, it is not so agreeable to eat. The plants for potting should have been 

 three or four years worked, and should be such as are well furnished with 

 blossom-buds. The soil used in potting may be loam, such as that in 

 which melons are grown ; to which, if necessary, one-fifth part of thoroughly 

 rotten dung may be added ; bearing in mind that too rich a soil makes the 

 shoots too luxuriant, and causes them to gum. The season for potting is 

 September and October, or any time before forcing ; but the trees will do 

 quite well for late forcing, if they are not taken up and potted till they are 

 just about to be put into the house. After potting, before setting the trees 

 in the house, it is necessary to watch the operations of the sparrows, which 

 are very apt to pick off the buds of cherries in the winter season, probably 

 in search of the eggs or larvae of insects. If the trees potted are standards, 

 they may be set on the ground, or on a low stage ; and if they are dwarfs, 

 upon a higher stage, so as, in either case, to bring their heads within eighteen 

 inches of the glass. They may be set so close together as that their heads 

 may be within a few inches of touching each other. 



1021. Time of commencing to force. — For the first crop shut up the house 

 and begin lighting fires about the middle of December. The thermometer, 

 for the first fortnight, should be kept at about 60° during the day, and 50° 

 during the night ; syringing the trees morning and evening with water that 

 has stood some days in the house, and keeping constantly one or two of the 

 sashes open a few inches at the end of the house next the fire, in order to 

 moderate the temperature there. The second fortnight the heat is allowed 

 to rise to 60° during the night, and to 70° during sunshine. The trees in 

 pots should be watered, when they require it, at the root ; but for any that 

 may be planted in the ground, the watering over-head will be sufficient. 

 When the trees come into bloom, the temperature must be lowered to 50°, 

 or even lower, both by night and day, except during sunshine, when the heat 

 may be allowed to rise a few degrees higher. During all this time air must 

 be admitted more or less, both during mild nights and by day ; but especially 

 in the day-time, and during sunshine. When fine M^eather prevails at the 

 time the trees are coming into bloom, a comparatively greater heat is required 

 at night than during the day ; because if they are kept cool at night, the 

 heat of the day is apt to expand the flowers before the stalks have grown to 

 their natural length ; and, if so, although all the flowers might set, (which 

 is not the case when they are short-stalked,) it would be impossible for a full 

 crop to swell oflF, as there would not be space enough for the cherries to 

 expand. W atering must be withheld from the tops of the trees during the 

 time they are in blossom, but given as required for their roots, and the 

 floor kept moist by sprinkling it morning and evening. No water should 

 be poured on the flues, because a powerful steaming at this season would 

 destroy the blossom. 



1022. Progress. — Trees begun to be forced in the middle of December will 

 come into blossom in the middle of January, set their fruit about the end of 

 the month, and stone it about the middle of February. 



1023. Insects. — After the leaves expand, it very often happens that a 

 caterpillar, or some black fly, makes its appearance ; these are sometimes 

 scarcely to be met with in the day-time, but on going into the house at night 



