Sweet Cheketes. 49&' 



Epitome. 



Cherry growing is one of the neglected industries of western 

 New York. There are practically no bearing orchards of sweet 

 cherries, and very few of sour cherries. 



The product is sold both in the open market and to canneries. 

 In general, the factories afford the better market, although well 

 grown and nicely packed fruits, particularly of the sweet kinds, find 

 a ready sale in the general market. 



Cherries like a loamy soil which is rich in mineral food. They 

 should generally be given clean and frequent cultivation until the 

 fruit is ripe, and after that the land may be put to rest with some 

 cover crop. Stimulating or nitrogenous manures should be used 

 cautiously. 



Sour cherries should be planted eighteen to twenty feet apart each 

 way, and sweet cherries about 10 feet farther. 



Cherries are pruned after the manner of pruning plums and pears 

 Sweet cherries should be pruned to three to five main aribs, and 

 not to a central leader. (Page 484.) 



The curculio is the worst enemy to sweet cherries, and it is some- 

 times serious upon the sour kinds. Jarring the trees is the most 

 reliable procedure. 



The rot, due to fungus, is particularly bad upon the early and 

 soft-fleshed sweet cherries. Spray for it twice before the fruit is 

 half grown, with Bordeaux mixture. Plant varieties least suscep- 

 tible to the disease (see pages 490-496). Be expeditious in handling 

 the crop. 



Cherries for the general market should be carefully hand-picked, 

 with the stems on, and they should be neatly packed in small pack- 

 ages. Cherries for the general market, particularly the sweet kinds, 

 should be handled with as much care as strawberries are. The 

 smallest packages are the most profitable for the best cherries. 

 (Page 486.) 



The most deserving sour cherries for western N^ew York are 

 Montmorency, English Morello and Louis Phillippe. The last is 

 best in quality, but apparently is least productive. 



