82 G 
THE GARDENERS’ MAGAZINE. 
November 1, 1913 
CHERRIES FOR GARDENS. 
Medium light soils, containing sand and 
a little lime or chalk, are best suited to 
cherry culture. The trees can he grown 
very successfully in many open gardens, 
but, generally speaking, they are more 
easily proteided when trained on walls. As 
a rule, the amateur grower will discover 
the greatest amount of utility in the 
Morello cherry. This seems to thriAe in 
almost any soil and situation, but a fairly 
Avarrn spot and a light sandy soil is best. 
It success equally well as a standard, bush, 
pyramid, or espalier, and quite small trees 
in a young state will fruit abundantly, the 
fruit being particularly adaptable to pre¬ 
serving, lK>ttling, or for ordinary cooking 
purposes. 
For ordinary garden culture, however, 
there are, of course, other kinds, besides 
the Morello, that suit the amateur and pro¬ 
fessional grower quite well. In a moderate¬ 
sized garden, for instance, Early Rivers, a 
magnificent black fruiting variety, Avith 
large glossy fruit, borne in clustei-s of ten 
or tAvelve, is an admirable cherry for des¬ 
sert purposes, as also is Black Tartarian, 
Avhich does best against an ea.st Av^all. As 
a bush or pyramid tree, against an east 
Avail, Archduke does very well indeed, espe¬ 
cially in a chalky soil; in fact, all the Duke 
cherries are most suited for chalky soils. 
There is also May Duke, a large retl cherry, 
with an agreeably acid flavour ; Elton, with 
a large mottled fruit; Bigarreau Napoleon, 
which succeeds best against an east Avail or 
as a standard ; and Kentish, a medium-sized 
cherry for culinary use, juicy, and acid 
in flavour. 
Ncav varieties of cherries are raised from 
stones, the seedlings being transplanted out 
in nursery rows in the autumn of the 
second year. Standard trees and strong¬ 
growing kinds like Bigarreau are commonly 
propagated hy means of grafting on stocks 
raised from the gean, or Avild black cherry ; 
or, in the case of dAvarf trees and such kinds 
as May Duke, Morello, etc., on stocks 
raised from Cerasus Mahaleb. Scions for 
grafting cherries must be taken early, in 
February, if possible, and heeled in in a 
cool spot until required in March. 
Symmetrical training is quite easily ac¬ 
complished in the case of cherry trees. At 
the outset young trees are best alloAved to 
make one year’s growth, after which they 
need to be cut back twelve or fifteen inches 
towards a bud or eye ” pointing in an 
outward direction. Two shoots should lie 
encouraged from each branch. Wall trees 
should always he trained fan fashion, while 
bush trees must be kept open, and the 
branches well exposed to light and air. Tlie 
cherry certainly does not lend itself to knife 
pruning like other stone fruits, and the 
only time when the trees need attention 
in this direction is when they are young. 
Sometimes a strong AAoody groAvth is dcA^e- 
loped in the first year, but this can he 
checked by lifting and transplanting in the 
autumn, after first shortening any strong- 
growing roots which would be responsible 
for this OA^er-luxuriant groAAdh. In the case 
of a standard tree, at any rate, the knife 
must not be used at all after the first year’s 
training and shaping, although, of course, 
the dead wood must be thinned out and 
cross-groAving branches kept in order. For 
Avall-trained trees a system of summer prun¬ 
ing or disbudding is best adopted, which 
consists in shortening the cuiTent sea.son’s 
shoots to within two buds of the base, and 
pinching out the growing points on the 
laterals or wood growths of young trees so 
as to form fruit buds. 
In the case of the Morello cherry, it is 
to be noted that here the fruit is borne 
on the wood of the preceding year’s 
groAvdh, hence the Aveakest shoots, and s jine 
of the old Avood should be cut away cAcry 
year so as to prevent overcrow<ling. This 
variety grow.s A'cry successfully against a 
north AAm 11. Of course, the great point to 
bear in mind in pruning cherries is that 
Avood buds must ahvays be left whei'CA^er 
extension branches are required. As a rule, 
hoAveA'er, it is best to rely upon disbudding 
in S2)ring rather than knife 2)runing in Avin- 
ter. Perhaps the best way of checking the 
too exulxu-ant groAvth of young trees, Avhich 
may be developing an excessive amount of 
stout shoots, is to carefully lift and trans¬ 
plant them. 
Frequently the groAver is troubkxl Avith 
“gumming” in cherries, AAdiich, as a rule, 
is directly attrilnitable to a too free use of 
the jAi-uning knife in Avinter. It may be 
obviated by keeping the roots of the tree 
close to the surface; these are naturally 
surface travellers, and so this treatment 
Avill promote the groAvth of short natural 
spurs, Avhich Avill tend to encourage the 
formation of a healthy tree. Of course, the 
best AA*ay to aA^'oid gumming in any variety 
is to attempt as little winter jiruning as 
possible, this, if necessary, l>eing ahvays 
reserved until the time AAdien the trees are 
in full leaf. J. C. Neaa^sham. 
Old Basing. 
SOIL PREPARATION FOR 
FRUIT TREE PLANTING. 
After many years’ experience in hardy 
fruit culture, I am the more convinced that 
many failures occur owing to faulty methorls 
of preparing the soil before planting. Too 
many people wshirk the trouble and expense 
of thorough preparation ; they are content 
to prej^are a station for each tree, and 
promise to extend that pre]Aaration Avhen 
the roots of the trees have fully occupied 
the first prejrared site. IhaA^e seen so much 
of the evil results of such half-measure 
methods that I canniot recommend them, 
because I am positive the future Avel- 
fare of the trees is jeopardiseil, except, of 
course, in the hands of a few exceptional 
growers. 
I remember an instance of bad prepara¬ 
tion in an orchard of some six acres, some 
thirty-fiA^e years ago. The soil Avas a good 
loam, overlying clay that badly needed 
draining. For each tree a station some 
6ft. in diameter Avas prepared. The trees 
AAere plante<l in good soil, and grew away 
Augorouslv for a time until the roots 
reached the limit of the prepared site; then 
they received a chectk, as every station be¬ 
came a receptacle for surplus water, and 
the trecvs quickly presente<l a sorry sight. 
A new gardener Avas apiminted ; he saw 
the plight of the trees, and correctly diAuned 
the cause. He first drained the Avhole plot, 
and trenched it 3ft. deep, replanting eA-ery 
tree as the AA*ork proceede<l. The result 
was magical ; the trees are to-day perfect 
specimens of Avhat an orchard tree should 
be, and they are not sprayed, heyond an 
occasional AA^ashing Avitli an alkali mixture 
for the removal of moss and lichen—AAdiich, 
by the Avav, does not flourish there noAV 
oAving to the more favourable rooting con¬ 
ditions. The trees never seem seriously 
troubled with insect pests; and it is safe to 
say that the orchard in question is one of 
the best in the country. It is not an un¬ 
usual thing to gather from twentA^-fiA'e to 
thirty bushels of apples from one of the 
trees. The varieties are also of the bcvst. 
From this it Avill be readily assumed that 
I adA’oeate deep trenching when dealing 
AAuth soil of a heaA^y, retentKe character, 
not actually clay but a near anproach to 
it, AA'hich, below the eighteen inches of loam 
on the surface, has a hard pan of subsoil 
thickly studded Avith flint stones. Tluse 
flints, if alloAved to remain in the soil after 
being loosened, obviate the necessity of 
artificial draining, and therefore are a clLs- 
tinct advantage, not only in saving expensi* 
but in assisting in the aeration of the soil.’ 
There are tAvo methods of trenching the 
soil ; one is that of burying the surfac-e soil 
at the bottom, and bringing the bottom to 
the top. If soil so treated could l)e 
trenched again within Iavo years, then I 
agree Avith the plan, or if tlie surface can 
he coA^ercnl over six inches thick Avith any 
lightening material, like road-side Tefu.se, 
then I say this method of trenching is de¬ 
sirable. The second plan is to keej) the 
surface soil in the same relative position 
by having tAA^o trenches open at the same 
time, and thoroughly breaking up the Imt- 
toni of eA'ory trench to admit of the quick 
percolation of surjilus water. If the soil is 
poorly drained, the »oots quickiy IxTome 
unhealthy, encouraging canker, and reduc¬ 
ing the vigour of the trees. As a re¬ 
sult the leaves in their Aveakened state 
quickly fall a prey to insect pests, espe- 
cially greenfly, AA’hich does untold damage 
by preventing the .swelling of the fruit, and 
retarding the dcA’elopment of fruit buds for 
the next year’s crop. 
Trenchino: should be done fullv a month 
before planting, to allow the .«:oil to settle 
doAvn. If the whole plot, large or smalt, is 
to be wholly planted AAu'th apples, pears, 
plums, etc., Avith bush fruits and straAV- 
lieiries betAveen, then I recommend a 
dressing of farmyard manure at the rate of 
twenty-fiA^e tons to the acre, this to W 
added to the top s 2 :)it of soil PlaiMHl at a 
greater depth manure only encourages 
the trees to root dee(]ily, and that is not 
desirable, for the closer to the surface the 
roots can be kept the better, for they oh. 
tain mimh benefit from sunheat. thus in¬ 
ducing the trees to make desirable groAAth. 
which matures graduaflv as it proceeds. 
Mdien planting in vsuch soil, the trees benefit 
considerably bv the addition of some ligld 
materia] about the roots, especially Avood 
ashes or decayed leaA^es. 
In the case of sandA’ loam, all that is 
needed is to deeply dig the soil, adding 
halMecaved manure in moderate quantitv 
at nlanting time. Generally +rees rrow 
f reel A" in such soil. Avithout the aid of 
manure, until theA’ are bearing full crops of 
fruit. AA’hen thcA^ need assistance. 
Mdien preparing to remoA^e wall t^ees +hnf 
are worn out. it is wise to remoA'e the avIioIp 
of the soil fif +he new trees are +0 oc^nnv 
the same site) for a distance of 6ft., filing 
in the snace with ^?oil from a part of the 
garden that has not preA’ioiislv vroAvn fruit 
trees. <^orrect the drainage where neces- 
snrv. and add a prepared eomnost for the 
coots, with a small quantity of half-rotted 
manure. 
FreshlA’-eut turf is ouite <a dedrahle i”- 
"T^'dient +0 omnloA^ when planting frou 
tree^, and. if the opportnnitv ooenrs. y* 
nuantitv shoidd Im nreiAared and ent r<'nd'’ 
for mix’onr Avi+h o^d lirnp riihMe, espeeiallA 
for peach and nectarine trees. AnA" 
attention of this eharaeter that can 
giA^en to fruit t^^^« at planting time 
lociiH iti snoorKJsf’d nrroAvth the first year. 
Avbfch shoidd he the fniindaFen f'^’’ fn+nrp 
success. 
Clema.ti«i Jackmarii. - It 
open question hoAV many varieties of 
tis have been nut into commerce sinc^ 
was distributed now manv ve-ars ago. u* 
not yet superseded—in fact, it \ 
he regarde^t a.s one of the Ixst of 3 ‘ 
mati.ses. What is more, it seems to be 
affected bA" disease than many others, ^ _ 
fine examples may often be seen among_^ 
uncongenial surroundings eA'cn in toAvns. 
