126 State Horticultural Society. 



For commercial purposes the Early Richmond stands at the head of 

 the class. It is a sure bearer, hardy and productive, and being both 

 early and of good quality, when thoroughly ripe, it occupies the same- 

 position in the cherry orchard as the Ben Davis in the apple orchard, or 

 the Concord grape in the vine^^ard. 



Next in order comes the Dyehouse, about five days earlier than the 

 Early Richmond, equal in quality, not quite so large, and with me not 

 quite so productive, but on account of its earliness and hardiness should 

 always be largely planted in a commercial- orchard. 



I would rate as third the Montmorency, a few da3^s later than the 

 Early Richmond, tree a healthy and vigorous grower and productive,, 

 fruit medium in size and good in quality, and being intermediate between 

 the early and late it fills the gap, which makes it valuable, both as an 

 orchard tree and for home use. 



For the late varieties perhaps the English Morello should be given 

 first place. It is thrifty, hardy and productive and the fruit rich and 

 good. The Ostheimer is a very productive and valuable cherry. I do 

 not know whether or not there is any difference between the Ostheimer 

 and the Ostheim, but there is said to be, both in the fruit and the origin 

 of the tree. I have what is called the Ostheimer, and have never grown 

 that called the Ostheim. The trees bear very young. The fruit is large, 

 black and very rich and meaty, tree a somewhat dwarfish grower, but 

 very hardy and thrifty, and from my very limited experience with it con- 

 sider it among the verv best, if not the best, of the late cherries of its 

 class. The late Richmond and Louis Phillipe are both doing well here — 

 have borne young and the fruit is large, rich and good. I consider them 

 both promising, but from the limited number of trees I have of these 

 varieties I cannot speak as surely as of the others, yet I would not hesi- 

 tate to plant them here in quantity. Sklanka, Lutovka, Cerise de Os- 

 theim and Suda Hardy, all Russian cherries, are very promising — trees 

 hardy and thrifty, have fruited while young and small, and the fruit is 

 late and fine, and I believe all will prove valuable varieties for this cli- 

 mate, but would not like to endorse fully until further trial. 



All of these that I have mentioned stood the ordeal of the winter of 

 1898-9 without the loss of a tree, and many of them bore fruit in 1899, 

 although the trees were quite young. 



The varieties of the sweet cherry, so far as tested here, have not 

 been a success. The Governor Wood has succeeded in a few cases. It 

 is about as hardy in tree and bud as the average peach, and is worth 

 planting for home use on account of the excellent quality of its fruit, 

 but could not be recommended for a commercial orchard, on account of 

 its liability to winter-kill. It is the hardiest here of the tested varieties 



