December 1, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
475 
N O fruits grown in gardens are more difficult to keep from 
birds, wasps, and bluebottle flies than are sweet ripe 
Cherries. Pyramid Cherry trees in gardens often cost as much in 
keeping birds at bay as the fruit is worth. Fruit cages—that is, 
a plantation of Cherries enclosed in wire netting—exclude birds ; 
but ripe Cherries exposed to the weather crack in proportion to 
the amount of the sugar they contain, spoiling just the same as 
Grapes do in a moist stagnant atmosphere, or as Mulberries soon 
rot on the ground from their undergoing the vinous, so called, but 
really sugary fermentation. Trees growing against walls can be 
managed better, but even there an unfavourable beating of rain on 
those not protected by leaves causes the fruit to burst. Therefore, 
we have had the conclusion forced upon us that to fully enjoy 
the best dessert Cherries for any length of time they must be 
grown under glass. No expensive house is needed to have a 
supply of Cherries from the end of May until the autumn, but 
the structure must be light, well ventilated both at the top and 
bottom, and occupy a dry and sunny position. They can be > 
grown without any artificial heat, and so as to afford a long 
supply of delicious fruit, for no fruit hangs better than Cherries 
if they are kept dry. 
The trees may be grown in pots or planted out, bushes, pyra¬ 
mids, or standards answering well in appropriate positions. When 
the trees are in pots they can be placed outdoors after the fruit has 
been gathered, the wood is sufficiently firm and the buds well 
formed, but not over developed. If the trees are planted in the 
borders, the roof lights ought to be moveable, as the rain and 
dew refresh and invigorate the trees, whilst the soil is moistened 
through to the drainage. Cherries under glass demand as sweet an 
atmosphere as they enjoy outdoors. To stew the trees like Vines 
in the early stages of their growth is certain to bring off all the 
blossoms or young fruit, hence the importance of providing plenty 
of air. 
A dozen good Cherries for growing under glass are Early 
Rivers, Early Red Guigne, Bigarreau Jaboulay, Empress Eugenie, 
Bigarreau de Schreken, May Duke, Black Tartarian, Governor 
Wood, Elton, Bigarreau Noir de Gueben, Tradescant’s Heart (large 
black Bigarreau), and Emperor Francis. A select six varieties 
are Early Rivers, Empress Eugenie, Black Tartarian, Governor 
Wood, Bigarreau Noir de Gueben, and Emperor Francis. Three of 
the very best—Early Rivers, Governor Whod, and Tradescant s 
Heart (large black Bigarreau). The chief desiderata in cultivat¬ 
ing Cherries in a cheap cold house are to admit air freely, Keep the 
trees free of aphides and red spider, syringe freely after the 
fruit is set until it commences to ripen, supply water and nourish¬ 
ment to the roots, and exclude birds by some netting placed over 
the ventilators. 
When the trees are to be planted in borders and trained to a 
trellis fixed about 12 inches from the glass, a lean-to house facing 
south, and about 12 feet wide, is best, or a three-quarter span-roof 
similarly situated. A span-roof is not good for early work, though 
it answers quite well where the fruit is required to be kept ; but for 
the latter purpose nothing equals trees in pots, removed when the 
fruit is ripe to a north house. In the lean-to the front trellis, if 
the trees are grown on the back wall, must only extend two-thirds up 
the roof, the trellis curving so as to admit light to those on the 
No. 649.— Vol. XXV.. Third Series. 
back wall. The border should be wholly inside, and not made all 
at once. A border about 9 to 12 inches wider than the roots 
extend when spread out, or 4 to 6 feet wide according to the size 
of the trees, is sufficient to commence with. It should be drained 
1 foot deep with broken bricks or rubble, roughest at the bottom and 
finest on the top ; 3 inches thickness of old mortar rubbish, with 
the finer particles sifted out, and pieces of lath removed, answers 
perfectly in preventing the soil mixing with the drainage. There 
must be a drain below all to carry off superfluous water. 
Cherry trees thrive naturally in deep calcareous or silicious 
soil. It is difficult to tell whether the’ calcic or the silicic 
elements are most important as factors to the health and fruit¬ 
fulness of the Cherry tree. The deep loam of Kent, where 
Cherries thrive, is simply an admixture of calcareous sandstone 
(Kentish rag) with rain-wash or brick-earth, now a deep loam. 
In West Hertfordshire and Buckingham the loams that give the 
Cherry trees their power to produce enormous crops are filled with 
calcareous and silicious gravels over chalk or silicious strata, and 
they never suffer from drought because the chalk gives out its 
moisture in dry periods. The soft sandy soils of Surrey and 
Middlesex, the dry and high Epping plain, and the Woburn 
sands of Beds, all let down the Cherry tree roots so that they 
draw moisture and lime, and iron from beneath the arid 
surface. Chalk soils, as a rule, eat up the May Duke race, 
and in too rich alluvial soils Cherry trees gum to death. Every 
county almost from Land’s End to John 0 Groat s contains the 
argillaceous soil which enables Cherries and other fruits to be 
grown successfully by competent men. 
From 24 to 27 inches depth of soil is ample for a Cherry border. 
Good turfy yellow loam from an upland pasture, cut 3 inches 
thick and chopped up roughly, yet so as to lie compactly, answers 
very well without any admixture whatever, provided it contain 
stones or fragments of rock, which, when exposed to the weather, 
crumble into chalk and flints. If purely argillaceous, but not very 
clayey, as the top soil seldom is, take four parts of the loam ana 
add to it one part (a fifth) of mortar rubbish from an old building, 
avoiding that from papered walls, and one part (a sixth) of sharp 
road scrapings, thoroughly incorporating. The border being firm 
and a few inches higher than the intended level to allow for 
settling, plant as soon as the leaves show indications of falling, 
spreading the roots carefully, firming the soil well about them, 
and give a good watering. The lights being moveable, as they 
ought to be where forcing is practised, take them off and mulch 
the surface with a little short spent stable litter. Trees that have 
been trained to walls three or four years and moved annually, so 
as to move safely, are the most suitable, as they will be in a fruitful 
state and calculated to afford some fruit the first season. Three 
of the best varieties for forcing are Early Rivers, Black 
Tartarian, and Governor Wood. If a “light” Cherry is wanted; 
to form a companion dish to Early Rivers, Early Red Guigne or 
Belle d’Orleans may be selected ; and if there is a desire for the 
May Duke flavour Empress Eugenie supplies it soon after Early 
Rivers. For following on, but preferably in another house,. 
Bigarreau Noir de Gueben and Elton will satisfy every requirement; 
and for a late supply Tradescant’s Heart or Large Black Bigarreau, 
and Emperor Francis are approved by three large growers of 
Cherries under glass. 
Cherries are readily forced in pots, but a simple and excellent 
way to grow them is as single cordons, trained to a trellis 
9 inches from the glass in a lean-to wall case, G feet wide and 
facing south, planting the Duke race 18 inches and the Heart and 
Bigarreau 2 feet apart. Top lights, 2 feet wide, should open half 
their width, also the front roof lights ; but these must be move- 
able. The trees may be planted in the front, and the back wall 
clothed with Tea Roses. Two rows of 3-inch hot-water pipes, 
fixed 2 feet from the front, will furnish sufficient heat for 
ripening Cherries in April and May. 
No. 2305.—Vol. LKXXVIL, Old Series. 
