DESSERT CHERRIES IN POTS. 



189 



DESSERT CHERRIES IN POTS. 

 By James Hudson, V.M.H. 

 (Lecture delivered August 18, 1908.) 



It cannot be said that the cultivation of cherries upon walls in the open 

 air is in the majority of gardens a great success. With the exception of 

 apricots probably more cherry trees are failures than is the case with any 

 other fruit. True, the soil is not always what it should be in order to 

 obtain the best results ; but, on the other hand, the mode of treatment 

 is frequently not upon quite such rational lines as it should be. Let 

 the stock upon which the dessert cherry is worked be what it may, it 

 has a tendency to foster luxurious growth if not carefully attended to. 

 This difficulty in cherry cultivation in the same way handicaps the grower 

 when the trees are grown under glass if the borders be not thoroughly 

 well prepared at the onset. 



Whether the borders are outside or inside, the contingency to be 

 guarded against is a too luxurious growth, which, if checked by the 

 use of the knife, results in cankered branches. Luxuriousness of growth 

 is often the result of planting in too rich a soil, such, for instance, as one 

 in which farmyard or stable manure has been freely used. It is better in 

 almost every kind of soil to depend upon good loam with lime or mortar 

 rubble, or upon an artificial compound in which both phosphates and 

 potash play an important part. In the open upon walls the horizontal 

 rather than the fan system of training is the best. I have followed this 

 system myself and proved its great value, for I find it easier to control 

 the growth than when dealing with the fan-trained tree ; consequently 

 there has been less use of the knife and more use made of finger and 

 thumb pinching. But it is not always easy to obtain suitable trees from 

 the nurseryman. 



On account of these difficulties and failures this paper advocating the 

 cultivation of cherries in pots has been written. 



This system of pot culture was adopted by the Messrs. Rivers of 

 Sawbridgeworth many years ago, and to them more than to any other 

 growers belongs the credit of its striking success. They have clearly 

 demonstrated by their repeated exhibits and by the wide and successful 

 use of the method in their own nurseries what can in a fairly easy manner 

 be achieved. Failures may occur, as they do, but one should never think- 

 that he can grow fruit trees in pots under the shade of other trees. This 

 is beyond all reasonable expectation. 



It is not necessary to have recourse to glass for the cultivation of 

 cherries in pots, but I most strongly recommend it. If not under glass, 

 then most certainly the trees should be fenced in, to guard against the 

 depredations of birds. Cherries in pots when .grown in the open should 

 be plunged to the rim, with two or fchree bricks under the pots, to keep 

 the drainage clear. 



