Winter Meeting. 303 



had our first crop this year. They are a very fins cherry, but not 

 profitable. 



Summing the matter up, then, we would say, select Early 

 Richmond and Montmorency; plant on rolling ground, not too 

 deep; cultivate three years and seed to clover; spray for fungi in 

 e^rly spring with standard Bordeaux; pick and market in good 

 condition, and I am sure the cherry can be profitably grown in 

 North Missouri. 



CHERRY IN SOUTH MISSOURI. 



(By Earl B. Hopkins, Springfield, Mo.) 



I feel that my experience in raising this grand fruit has been 

 so limited that it would be folly to write and advise those who 

 have had years of experience along this line. 



I believe, however, that I can safely say, from my own ex- 

 perience and from observations, that the cherry has proven un- 

 profitable. Understand, however, that I am speaking of this par- 

 ticular locality around Springfield and our own local market. This 

 year (1906) we had a full crop of cherries in Green county, the 

 first for a number of years. Prices were low, exceedingly low, so 

 much so that, finally, in my own orchard, I sold them out at so 

 much per gallon, and let the buyer pick them, finding that there 

 was as much profit and less work as when we had them picked and 

 marketed them ourselves. Cherries sold at from 80 cents per 24- 

 quart crate to $1.25. Substracting the cost of picking and cost of 

 crate and boxes, anyone can easily see that very little is left for the 

 grower. The low prices received cannot be laid to the large crop, 

 as the crop of 1905, which was comparatively light, brought very 

 little more, and was just as difficult to dispose of. I am speaking 

 entirely of the Early Richmond, as this is the only variety I have in 

 bearing. Another cause of unprofitableness is this : There are 

 very few years but v/hat we have a hard wind and rain storm 

 right in the cherry season, sometimes ruining two-thirds of the 

 crop. This year was no exception to the rule, as I found to my 

 sorrow when boxing the fruit. The boys will put in the blistered 

 cherries in spite of all the cautioning you can give them. Then, 

 again, the Early Richmond comes in right along with the straw- 

 berry in this country, and in trying to save both crops we seldom 

 fail to lose some of each. I did not start out to wTite a paper of any 

 length, and for fear you will think I am a "croaker" or "pessimistic 



