November 30. 1912, 



THE GARDENERS' MAGAZINE. 



921 



NOTES ON CHERRIES IN 



POTS. 



The cultivation of the cherry in pots 

 is not by any means a new departure, the 

 method having been fully demonstrated by 

 the Messrs. Rivers and Son, of Sawbridge- 

 worth, many years ago. Probably no other 

 cultivators have such fine collections of spe- 

 cimen cherries in pots as this firm, and no 

 conception can be foiled of these splendid 

 examples of cultural skill unless a visit 

 he paid to Sawbridgeworth in the fruiting 

 season. These fine trees, be it noted, do 

 not leave the nurseries, for they are too 



A visit 



big for all but the largest of v 

 to this liome of pot cherries will amply 

 repay anyone interested in superior culti- 

 vation. 



The Adva^nt 



Cuiti 



ag^es of Pot 



ion. 



I 



was not, I miist admit, a keen en- 

 thusiast for this method of culture until 

 Mr. Leopold de Roths^*])ild wished me to 

 try my hand in this direction. That was 

 in 1894, and since then we have annually 

 forced a considerable numl>er of trees. At 

 first I started cautiously, but it was soon 

 found there was much in the system to 

 recommend it. Now we annually force our 

 trees so as to obtain ripe fruit hj the end 

 of April. Our largest trees have been 

 forced since the year mentioned above, a 

 fact that is sufficient to prove the sound- 

 ness of the system. It is very rare indeed 

 that a well-established tree succumbs to 

 canker, or any other form of disease. The 

 growth of the cherry, when it is planted 

 out, is notoriously vigorous, if precautions 

 are not adopted to check this vigour. In 

 pots, however, the growth is kept in check 

 by the root limitation, and the result is 

 spur-bearing, fruitful w^ood. Insects, too, are 

 more easily kept in check under glass than 



upon the open wall or on standards. 

 Of 



that 

 thus 



course, it goes without saying 

 the iSeason of the sw^eet cherry is 

 considerably extended. It is possible, with 

 two divisions, to have ripe fruit by the 

 middle of April. We should do so at Gun- 

 nersbury, but the dreaded London fog dur- 

 mg the flowering season is the deterrent. 

 During the two months between the middle 

 of April and the middle of June the crop 

 under glass is available, and after that ripe 

 fruit may be obtained from the open wall or 

 from trees in pots, where the house has been 

 kept absolutely cool. Cherries under glass 

 M-hether in pots or planted out, are und 

 better control than upon the open wall, for 

 no cracking then takes place, e.g., as 

 dnrin<r a damp drizzHnir dav in early July, 

 jyhen the frnif is fullv ripe. Nor have th'- 

 •^n-ds the sli2:ht(\st cbniiop of makine a meal. 

 By prfiwinc: the late de'^serf kinds it 

 Possible to have ripe fruit for Hose upon 

 four months from under erlass. Plurelv th^s 

 f'Tct is sufficient to recommend this svstem 

 of cultivation ? 



Forcing, 



It is no doubt i»i the forcinc: of the 

 <hGrrv that some difficultv is exnerienrerl. 

 f^^en at the Present day. I have heard it 

 recommended to follow on the same Unes 

 as for peaches and nectarines, but th^s is 

 too warm a treatment bv almost, if not 

 nuite, five derrreos. The cherry is very 

 ^n^ipatient of a closed hous'-. Ventilation 

 ^nould he always allowed, even if a littl^^ 

 trost he ind-Vated outsxle. As lonir as T 

 ^ould maintain a minimum temperature of 

 4U de^rrees up to the time of the setting 

 ot the fruit, I w^ould not close all the ven- 

 plators. Artificial warmHi should bo spar- 

 mgly 11^^^^]^ jj^^j 11^^, ^j^^^^ should not at any 



time, feel uncomfortably warm wdien the 

 '^''^"d IS placed upon them. Tlio chorrv will 



succeed best if forced w^ith a free circula- 

 tion of air. 



No fruit tree responds so readily a« the 

 cherry, and the buds begin to swell very 

 quickly indeed. If the treatment be too 

 generous the wood buds may make a start 



weeks no warmth in the pipes is allowed 

 so long as the temperature does not fall 

 lower than 30 <legreos. We always move a 

 hi\e of bei^s into the cherrv house Avhen a 

 fairly good number of flowers have expanded. 

 "We find no other means so eff'e<*tual in the 



CHERRY GUIGNK D\\NNONAY. 



A black cherry, richly flavoured, and ripening early in the season; Avell 

 culture, as indicated by the specimen illustrated, which was exliilnted 



Rivers and Son in May last. 



suited for pot 

 bv Messrs. T. 



t-oo soon. In order to obtain ripe 

 al>out the end of A])ril we partially close 

 the cherry house about the mi<ldle of 

 January, and syringe the trees t wi< e or 

 thrice daily. For the first two or three 



fr uit 



])ollination of the flowers. The first two 

 Vi^ai's that I f<ir^ed Early It i vers cherry 

 tliis plan was not adopted, and the aver- 

 age set Avas not satisfactory. Ever since 

 I ha^e relied upon the bees we have not 



