302 State Hnrticidtvral Society. 



CHERRY GROWING PROFITABLE IN NORTH MISSOURI. 



(By J. E. May, LaPlata, Mo.) 



When I received notice that the Secretary of our Society wanted 

 me to prepare a paper on the above subject, I was at a loss to know 

 what I could say, with my limited experience, that would be of in- 

 terest to those assembled here. 



We have grown the cherry in a small way for the past 12 years 

 and have been able to make it pay us reasonably well. We have also 

 learned some things in that time that, had we known when we first 

 set our orchard, might have made our profit greater. The growing 

 of the cherry is sadly neglected in our part of the State (Adair 

 county), and I am of the opinion that the average planters make 

 a mistake in the selection of their ground, and, then plant too deep. 

 The formation of the soil of our county is such that a cherry tree 

 set on flat land and set deep is soon doomed, and will never pay the 

 planter. 



We have found that to succeed the ground must be rolling, or, 

 if flat, must be thrown up in ridges where trees are to stand, thus 

 draining the water to the middle and, then it ought not to be so 

 flat that the water will stand between the rows. We like rolling 

 ground the best, and plow so the dead furrow will come where trees 

 are to stand, the furrow to run up and down the hill. This makes 

 a drain under the trees and assures no injury to the trees should 

 the seasons be wet. 



We give good cultivation the first three years and then seed to 

 clover. One good spraying with Bordeaux in early spring will pro- 

 tect the trees from fungi and the foliage will not drop so early, 

 thus injuring the tree and prospect for a crop the following year. 



The selection of varieties forms an important part in the 

 profitableness of the orchard, for if the varieties planted are not 

 good bearers, or are tender in bud or tree, the orchard is sure to be 

 a failure. As far as our observation goes, there are only two va- 

 rieties to plant in our section. These are Early Richmond and 

 Montmorency, the last named being far superior to the Richmond 

 in quality of fruit and hardiness of bud. Of 15 English Morrillo, set 

 seven years ago, all are dead without giving us a quart of fruit. 

 The extreme cold of 1904 and 1905 finished the last of them. 



We have two Abesse from Stark Nurseries, 11 years old, and 



