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crown does not give heavy shade, and the roots allow for lawn grass to come up to the stem. Any plant with a deeper rooting system, however, will suffer. In the usually narrow city gardens in Japan cherries are rarely planted because they make any other planting impossible. It is a common saying among Tokyo gardenersalways eager to stuff as many plants and garden knickknacks as possible in a narrow plotthat "only a fool plants a cherry." Pruning Pruning should be done rarely. Because cherries have a loose and open tree shape, cutting a branch often results in an unbalanced crown, which presents an ugly sight. Some cherries, such as 'Fugenzo', 'Mikuruma-gaeshi', or 'Ukon', profit from a pruning when young. Most cherries make a regular crown, but if something goes wrong in the early years, pruning to correct the problem is possible only if one has an idea of the eventual shape of the fully grown tree. Thus, in the cultivar descriptions, the tree shape is always given and should help in setting up a natural habit. Once a balanced tree frame has been formed, cherries require no pruning for many years. Occasionally a crossed or crooked branch needs to be removed, and ambitious, watery shoots are controlled by pinching them in early summer. When older, some cherries have bare, hanging branches with foliage and blossoms only at the tip end. In this situation it is advisable to prune back the outer, flowering branches for a more beautiful tree shape. 'Pink Perfection' and 'Ukon' are examples of cherries needing this kind of pruning. Pruning is done best early in the flowering season. Spring and summer growth will help heal the wounds quickly, and budding branches can be used for indoor arrangements. Pruning in autumn or winter should be avoided because germs, such as the spores of the silver leaf fungus, are actively transported at this time and infections occur easily. This threat is more serious in regions with damp and humid winters, such as western Europe, than in Japan where the weather is dry and crisp at this time of the year. It is advisable to treat accidental wounds in winter carefully by cutting back irregular parts of the wood and bark to a smooth surface of sound wood. On the smoothly pared surface, a fungus antiseptic should be ap-