68 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



healthy trees for planting, of the best varieties, to be well planted out, on well drained 

 land. Thorough after culture is absolutely essential to the growth and success of the 

 tree. Their fruit will show clearly whether or not these facts have been regarded. 



Rev. J. V. Hopper, of Bunker Hill read an essay on 



THE CHERRY AND ITS PROPAGATION. 



This paper will be confined mainly to the sour cherries of the Morello and Kentish 

 families ; and especially to the Early Richmond variety of the Kentish, because 

 the writer has had more experience with it than with others. I will state however, 

 that so far, my experience and observation has led me to the conclusion that the Heart 

 and Bigarreau cherries are too tender in tree to be a profitable tree to plant for market 

 purposes, and the same is true but to a less extent, of the Duke cherries. The bark of 

 the trees burst on the south or south-west side, and in a few years the tree dies. If 

 this could be remedied, then the sweet cherries could be raised with much profit. I 

 have experienced yery little in this direction, but the following may be of interest : 

 About fourteen years ago I planted a few Bigarreau cherry trees that were grafted 

 before on the Morello ; in a few years all of these were dead but two ; I had heard that 

 to scarify the bark would prevent its bursting ; I tried it and the trees are now alive, 

 and so far as I can judge are in perfect health. The scarifying was repeated for seve- 

 ral years. They may have lived equally well without the scarifying. At about that 

 time I became interested in the Early Richmond cherry, and gave no more attention to 

 the tender varieties. I have had the Early Richmond in bearing about ten years ; my 

 oldest trees are grafted in the limbs of the Morello. My younger trees are root-grafted 

 on the Mazzard stock and planted with the union of the stock and scion below the 

 surface. They commenced bearing at about five years old, and have borne a good 

 crop every year since until the present one; last April the buds were killed by the 

 sleet of that time. The buds of the Early Richmond on my place have not been killed 

 in the winter; while the buds on more tender varieties have frequently so killed. It 

 It is a singular circumstance that last spring the buds of cherries were killed, while 

 the buds of peaches escaped, and the peach blows were much more advanced than 

 those of the cherry. I expected the opposite result. The same sleet killed the Apple 

 and Quince blows. One Quince bush standing near the south-east corner of my house 

 and having large trees on the north-west of it, was very full of fruit ; while those 

 not thus protected had no fruit. With me peaches and pears suffered less from that 

 sleet than other fruit. 



HOW DO YOU PROPAGATE THE CHERRY ? 



By root -grafting on the Mazzard stock. The process is the same as that of root- 

 grafting the apple, but is not so certain to succeed, principally, I think because thii 

 stock will not endure so much exposure as the apple stock, and because the cherry 

 does not callous so readily as the apple does. Great care should be taken in handling 

 them, from the time they are taken up in the fall until they are set out in the spring ; 

 eo that there be but little exposure to the air, and especially to the dry air of a room 

 heated with a stove. In transplanting let there be as little exposure as possible, and 

 have the work well done. It appears that the callous of the cherry is sooner injured 



