Sweet Cherry
The sweet cherry is cultivated nearly everywhere in Georgia, having commercial importance in the districts of Tbilissi, Kutaussi, Samtredia, and being perspective for Kakhetia. It is difficult to define the rate of the sweet cherry distribution relatively to other crops, it being computed in all yhe records together with the remaining drupes.
The sweet cherry occupies among drupes in area extension and commercial importance the third place. Continuous plantations are met in the Tbilissi, Gori, Kutaissi and Samtredia districts, though more frequently single trees are planted in home orchards together with other trees, or along of orchards and vinegards.
The sweet cherry is generally propagated by budding, with the exception of local sorts, wich propagate easily by root suckers. As stock wild cherry and Pr. Matcheleb are used. Recently nurseries began to deliver plants, grafted mostly on the wild cherry.
The product is used fresh or delivered to canning factories in order to prepare compote and jam.
The districts of Kutaissi and Samtredia produce early sorts, appearing on the market in the beginning May.
The assortment of the Tbilissi district shows great diversity because here local as well as European sorts of different maturation periods are cultivated.
In the district of Gori Drogans yellow is the leading sort thogh others, for instance Napoleon, Tarltar black, Metzel’s Bigarreau, Esperen’s Bigarreau, etc. not being excluded.
Among diseases, The most widely spread in Georgia ara Monilia and Hommosa, often bringing about considerable losses.
Among pest, Aphis cerasi D., attacts the sweet cherry every where in Georgia, while the warmer districts (Abkhasia, Western Georgia) are infested to a considerable extent by the cherry fly Spigographa cerasi L., the larvae of which damage the fruits of later sorts.
We do not give here the description of the local sorts of sweet cherry, as it has found place in the first volume of the present Atlas.
