EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 291 



CHERRIES {Prunus). 



Probably few, if any, species of fruit trees are as impatient of excessive 

 moisture in the soil as are the cherries. In their case the injury from the 

 copious and long continued rains of the spring and early summer of last 

 year has proved more serious than was apparent during that season, since 

 quite a number of trees have this season shown indications of injury 

 obviously attributable to that cause. 



A large number of varieties have bloomed and fruited this season, but 

 most of them so sparsely that, on account of the depredations of birds in 

 many cases, it has been diflBcult to accurately determine the date of 

 ripening. 



The cherry plantations were included in the spraying given the entire 

 plantation in November, 1892. 



April 10 and 11 cherries were sprayed with diluted Bordeaux, using 4 

 pounds copper sulphate, 3 pounds lime, and 2^ ounces Paris green, in 82 

 gallons of water. 



On June 8 they received the second spray this season, using 4 pounds 

 copper sulphate, 3 pounds lime and 2| ounces of Paris green, in 32 gallons 

 of water. 



On June 27 they were treated with kerosene emulsion to extirpate the 

 slug (Eriocampn cerasi). 



On July 7. the pest having reappeared the trees were treated with the 

 extract of tobacco stems, after which further treatment for this insect was 

 not found necessary. 



On July 14 and 15. cherries received a final treatment, consisting of 2 

 pounds copper sulphate, 1^ pounds lime, and 2^ ounces Paris green, in 32 

 gallons water. 



The slug {Eriocampa cerasi) has been much less troublesome this year 

 than formerly, yielding readily to the sprays given as stated. 



No other insects have proved troublesome upon the cherry, the curculio- 

 apparently confining operations to adjacent rows of plums and peaches. 



No attacks of fungi have been noticed, except as the cause of premature 

 loss of foliage by a few of the injured trees already mentioned. 



Experience has shown that the Mazzard or sweet cherries (and to a slight 

 extent the Dukes also) when grown rapidly, as under thorough cultivation 

 they usually do in our Michigan soil and climate, are often seriously if not 

 even fatally injured during subsequent severe winters, and when branched 

 as high as is generally done they are liable to what is known as " bark- 

 burst" during severe cold in winter, followed by death after a very few 

 years of decrepitude and disease. 



No remedy has yet been discovered for such conditions. Prevention is, 

 so far as known, the sole alternative. This may be accomplished by giving 

 only so much manure and cultivation while the tree is still young as shall 

 produce only moderate, healthy growth and partially or wholly omitting 

 cultivation thereafter; also branching them so low that the trunk and 

 larger branches, in which, if at all, bursting is likely to occur, shall be well 

 shaded from the influence of the mid-day sun, by the foliage. 



Under such conditions trees of these species may be reasonably expected 

 to reach mature age in sound condition, while under opposite conditions- 



