An?inal Meetiiiy at St. Josejjh. 159 



Incious fruit? The earliness of its ripening, its juiciness, delicacy 

 and richness, says Downing, render it always acceptable. 



As to its profitableness, there can be but one opinion. Whether 

 cultivated, or allowed to remain uncultivated, in stiff sod, there is 

 usually a crop of fine, luscious cherries. It stands any amount of 

 abuse. I know of one orchard that has produced uniformly the 

 very best fruit, that is in stiff blue grass sod, with no cultivation 

 for eight or ten years. As to their profitableness, during the past 

 ten years, they have paid well. In the Kansas City market, they 

 have been worth from two to four dollars per crate of twenty-four 

 quarts. 



And, owing to its certainty to produce a crop, makes the 

 cherry well worthy a place in any orchard. 



WHEKE TO PLAISTT. 



An elevation with dry soil should always be selected, if such a 

 one can be found. It will thrive in a variety of soil, but gravely 

 sandy soil, Avith loam, seems to be its home. It will, however, 

 prosper in a variety of soils and locations. 



In Pennsylvania the poor ridges, underlain with slate, and 

 upon which the chestnut thrives, produces the.finest Hearts I have 

 yet seen — trees growing sixty feet in height and very shajDely — pro- 

 ducing abundantly. 



Experiments prove that the Acids luxuriate in rich soils, and 

 a good top-dressing of stable manure has proved serviceable. I 

 doubt if the Hearts can be grown successfully, our winters being too 

 severe for them. 



Wet, damp ground is unsuited to the cherry, and it soon drops 

 into decay. Such lands should be drained thoroughly before plant- 

 ing, and I have no doubt but they can be made valuable for 

 cherry-orcharding, when otherwise they would be of no use. 



Xorth hillsides are valuable, if other conditions are even, as 

 their blooming will be somewhat delayed, and they will be less 

 liable to spring frosts. 



OF VARIETIES. 



The most valuable with us are Early Richmond, Leib, English 

 Morello and Osthima Weichel. 



If for profit these will be found to he the most valuable pos- 

 sessing the qualities of earliness, size, quality, good shippers and 

 carrying you through the whole season. There may be other good 

 sorts that may prove valuable for profit, but as yet I have failed to 

 find them for our location. As to the " Osthima," I would sav a 



