34 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



brought to a premature close by the succeeding cold of winter. The crude sap with 

 which all the vessels are gorged is greatly expanded by the severe frosts of winter, 

 and this causes large portions of the bark to separate from the trees. In this con- 

 dition the tree externally appears to be in health, but the following summer, the 

 expansion of the trunks by growth, ruptures the loosened portions of the bark, thus 

 early exposing to the eye the injury done the preceding year. It sometimes occurs that 

 the bark is separated or lifted from the trunk in numerous places within a small com- 

 pass. In some instances these small lifted patches alternate with the healthy or adhe- 

 sive bark, so as to extend quite around the tree. 



When in this condition the trunk presents the anomalous appearance of being too 

 large for the bark. This is sometimes called bark-bound, and can only be relieved, so 

 far as we know, by cutting away all the diseased bark, and also shaving the healthy 

 parts nearly, or quite down to the alburnum. This cutting or shaving away should be 

 done at the time the woody matter is being most rapidly formed. The gum which 

 has accumulated in the diseased parts, should be removed by washing or otherwise. 

 When the wounded parts are not too large it will be covered with new bark. There 

 are other difficulties to be overcome in growing the Sweet cherry, some of which must 

 not be omitted. 1st. The fruit eating birds. These all regale themselves on this class 

 of fruit, and if allowed to have their own way, leave nothing for the sentimental culti- 

 vator whose tender regard for the feathered tribe will not allow them to be killed, and 

 while he is protecting the rascally flocks of Cherry birds, Cat birds, Orioles and Jays, 

 his children must either do without cherries, or rob the trees of his neighbor of less 

 tender feelings. 2d. The Curculio is usually the first to appreciate our efforts in the 

 production of this fruit. As soon as the young cherries are as large as a pea, the Turk 

 is on hand, and deposits an egg in each ; this egg is soon hatched by the warmth of the 

 atmosphere, when the small white grub quickly makes its way to the interior of the 

 fruit and soon renders it unfit to eat ; and, 3d, we think these wounded fruits also 

 afford those conditions inducing rot, which has proved of late so destructive to this 



class of fruits. 



For example, until within a few years cherry orchards in the vicinity of Cleveland, 

 Ohio produced fruit annually to the value of more than one thousand dollars per acre. 

 During our visit to the Cleveland district, this past fall, we made repeated inquiries in 

 respect to the present condition of the cherry crop, and we were assured that of late, 

 that no cherries, or next to none, were produced. So general was the failure, that 

 owners of cherry orchards, desparing of further success, were grubbing up their trees. 

 The rot made its appearance in the vicinity of Cleveland, a few years ago, since which 

 time it has wholly destroyed the cherry just at the time it was beginning to color. 

 The experience of persons at this point, as elicited by us, and our own observations of 

 their apples, on each of which many cuts of the true plum curculio were found, clearly 

 demonstrated, that the curculio had become quite as numerous there, as in the most 

 infested points in our own state. Hence the inference, that the same causes, affecting 

 the health of this fruit, are operating alike in widely different parts of the country. 



These observations to our mind, clearly point to the truth of a statement made by us 

 on a former occasion, that, just in proportion as we supply the food and suitable condi- 

 tions, just in that proportion do we increase both insects and vegetable diseases. 



