THIRTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT. 137 



always sure to please the buyer, who is more than likely to make another call for the same 

 fruit the following year and also tell his friends of his experience. 



PLUMS AND CHERRIES. 



This was the theme of a well received and highly interesting and valuable talk by Benton 

 Gebhardt, of Oceana county, who has worked out a reputation not eclipsed by any fruit 

 grower of the state. Beginning with plum growing, he pointed out that where one is 

 operating upon light, well drained soil he will profit by grafting his plums upon peach 

 roots, while the plum roots are better for heavy soil that is not so well drained. This 

 fruit is particularly responsive to good culture and care. The trees should be trimmed 

 from the beginning, using that means to partially regulate the amount of fruit that de- 

 velops on the trees, as unpnmed trees are sure to become irregular bearers. Where there 

 is a heavy growth "heading in" should be practiced, and such pnming continued as will 

 let in the sunlight and admit the spraying material to all parts of the trees. By proper 

 attention to spraying the speaker believes that the curculio and the shot-hole fungus 

 can be controlled. He had observed that the curculio troubles his plums worst on the 

 trees located next to the peach orchard. When the trees begin bearing it is wise not to let 

 them mature too large a crop as it is apt to cause the alternate year bearing habit as well 

 as to encourage the production of inferior fruit. By judicious tliinning, which means 

 taking off the small fruits till they appear far too thin to the unexperienced, one is able 

 to overcome the tendency toward alternate bearing and make annual production of crops 

 the rule rather than the exception. The crop is picked, packed and graded much the 

 same as peaches. It is the practice of the speaker to cover his best grades with tarlatan, 

 which adds greatly to the appearance of the package. He advised his hearers not to plant 

 too many of the earlier varieties as there is little demand for the fruit at that time of the 

 year, since the city people are then away from home and do not buy in large quantities. 

 It is also a poor time for the fruit to mature well. The Japanese kinds are subject to 

 overbearing, and in his experience they have not been found profitable as compared with 

 European varieties. The best season for ripening is from Sept. 10 to Oct. 10, when the 

 prices are generally good and the quahty is superior to that of the earlier varieties owing 

 largely to the favorable weather that prevails. That the speaker has had success with 

 his plums is witnessed by the fact that he has had only one failure in the past ten years. 



Regarding cherry culture, Mr. Gebhardt stated that the business of growing sweet 

 cherries has not been overdone. If one can grow one crop every three years he can make 

 the investment profitable. It has been his observation that the larger varieties of sweet 

 cherries of a firm texture are subject to cracking and rotting. Cultivation should be 

 done as early in the season as it is possible to work the soil, but should not be continued 

 late — say to the first of July. Good crops are often grown where the trees remain in 

 sod. Less spraying is demanded by the sweet cherries than by the sour kinds. The 

 pruning should be conducted much the same as for plums — it being the practice of the 

 speaker to head in about one-half of the previous season's growth and to keep the top 

 properly thinned to admit sunlight and spray. There is a splendid market for the sweet 

 cherries. All who are able to produce them need not fear getting rid of them at profit- 

 able figures. 



Regarding the sour cherries, Mr. Gebhardt stated that many growers made a mistake 

 by picking tlie crop as soon as the berries began to color. This is sure to result in an in- 

 ferior quality of fruit . Sometimes it requires two weeks before the fruits are fully matured 

 after they have begun to take on color. It is not at all uncommon with cherry trees as 

 with other fruit trees that a new top improves the quality of the fruit. Where the old 

 limbs are removed and the trunk allowed to develop new tops exceptional changes are 

 often noted in the resulting crops. 



Mr. Gebhardt uses barnyard manure, ashes and commercial fertilizers containing a 

 large amount of potash for his orchards. The bone meal is applied about every other 

 year. 



The leaves stayed on longest where the shot-hole fungus w^as troubling when spraying 

 with the Bordeaux mixture was delayed till just before the leaves began falling off. • This 

 is contrary to the general belief regarding the treatment of this pest. 



The discussion of this topic was led by Mr. J. H. Perry, of Oakland county, who is a 

 very successful grower of plums and cherries as well as of other fruits. He stated that 

 the growers on the eastern side of the state were having the best success with growing 

 the plum upon its own root. A fungous disease causing foliage to turn yellow has been 

 working in the orchards of Mr. Perry, and he has found that those trees sprayed with the 

 lime and sulphur were not troubled while adjacent trees were badly affected. In his 

 section the mid-season varieties were more profitable than the late or early ones. As to the 



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