22 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



VARIETIES. 



In starting a conmiercial cherry orcliard it is well to select a few 

 sorts of liotli the sonr and sweet varieties. This will give a succession 

 ill the ripening and distril)nte the lahor of picking and marketing over 

 the longest possible season. For the sonr cherries I know of nothing 

 better than the Earl^^ Richmond, Montmorency and English Morello. 

 For the sweet cherries we have the Black Tartarian, Schmidt's Bigar- 

 rean, Windsor and p]lkhorn. The Black Tartarian is the most tender 

 but is of excellent quality and worth risking a few at least. 



SETTING OUT THE TREES. 



1 wonhl ahvays get my trees in the fall if I could, heel them, in dur- 

 ing the winter and set them out in the spring just as soon as the ground 

 could be gotten into condition for planting. This is especially import- 

 ant with the sweet cherries as they start to grow very early in the 

 spring. I believe that late setting is responsible for the loss of so 

 many young sweet cherry trees. They are generally delivered in the 

 s])ring and heeled in for a few days or a few weeks. During this time 

 they start to grow and when removed from the trench and set out the 

 growth is checked and many of them never recover from it. I would 

 select well grown, one year old trees, form the head pretty low, so that 

 the lower limbs will shade the trunks and help to prevent sun scald. 



For sour cherries two year old trees are generally selected. They are 

 easier to get started and more reliable bearers. It is not uncommon to 

 set out several hundre<l and not lose a single tree. But with the most 

 careful handling it is diflicnlt to get a full stand of sweet cherries at 

 the first setting. 



Sour cherries ma}' be set 20 feet apart but for Montmorency I believe 

 25 feet would be better in the long run, and for the sweet ones 80 or .3.3 

 feet. Trees Avill do better if they have plenty of room. Sunshine and 

 free circulation of air will add to the vigor of the tree and the cpiality 

 of the fruit. 



CARE OF THE YOUNG ORCHARD. 



In growing an orchard of any kind two things should be kept con- 

 stantly in mind. We should strive to get a good uniform growth, early 

 in the season, each year, and as large a growth as is consistent with 

 the thorough ripening up of the new growth before winter sets in. 

 This to the end that when the trees arrive at the bearing age they shall 

 have the size and bearing surface that will enable them to produce good 

 crops of fruit. We should also try to keep the soil in good physical 

 condition and increase its fertility against the time when the trees must 

 draw more heavily upon it for the ]>roduction of fruit. 



The cherry makes its growth and ripens its fruit early in the sea- 

 son. Early cultivation followed by a cover crop in .Inly or not later 

 than the first of August will generally give good results. 



For a cover cro]) I like one bushel of oats and 20 pounds of winter 

 vetch per acre. The oats make a large growth in the fall and help to 

 hold the snow and protect the ground from severe freezing during the 



