EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 243 



EUSSIAN CHERRIES. 



U. p. HEDRICK. 



For a number of years considerable interest has been shown in Russian 

 fruits. Several importations have been made and some of the kinds are 

 promising for the colder portions of our country. A few varieties promise 

 well for milder regions and bid fair to furnish our general horticulture 

 with fruits of value. 



The introduction of Russian cherries into the United States dates from 

 1882, when Prof. Budd of Iowa and Mr. Charles Gibb, a Canadian horti- 

 culturist, visited Europe and made selections of what they considered the 

 best varieties growing in the colder portions. The trees were taken to 

 Iowa and Canada, where the hardiest of the common cherries fail utterly, 

 and in both places proved hardy. Prof. Budd's trees in Iowa were one 

 year old when imported, and were set in an orchard where the dry sum- 

 mers and cold winters had killed all the common cherries, including the 

 hardy Early Richmond and English Morello. 



With this treatment the Russian cherries grew and thrived, notwith- 

 standing the fact, too, that they were severely cut for scions and buds. 



The trees were soon well distributed among the experiment stations, 

 and several reports have been made concerning their peculiarities and 

 values, with varying opinions as to their general worth. Through the sta- 

 tions and the usual channels of trade they have now been quite generally dis- 

 tributed to the public, and some of them are highly spoken of by practical 

 growers, who say that they have many points of usefulness for the general 

 fruitgrower. In our state, with a few exceptions, they will not be in 

 great demand except in the upper peninsula, and in the northern inland 

 portions of the lower peninsula, where the common cherries fail to grow. 

 For these regions, as a good substitute for the other cherries, they are 

 recommended. They are also commended to those who live in localities 

 where late frosts make the cherry crop uncertain. 



The general grower who desires a larger variety of fruit will find among 

 the Russian cherries varieties which approach the common cherries in 

 size, appearance, and quality. They come very late in the season and this 

 may be a point in their favor with some growers. 



It is the object of this bulletin to give information regarding the hard- 

 ier and more promising sorts that have been tested on the station grounds 

 and which will be desirable for growing in sections where the common 

 kinds fail. 



The history of Russian cherries on the station grounds is as follows: 

 In the spring of 1888, thirty trees, embracing twelve varieties, were 

 obtained from Prof. Budd of Iowa. The soil of the cherry orchard is the 

 same as that upon which the American plums were grown, and the trees 



