PLUMS AND CHERRIES. 61 



to be leaf buds, and many of the blossom buds would drop from the 

 tree by a touch of the fing-er; those that were left were apparently dry, 

 and appeared to be hollow within. I examined them, but could at 

 that time find no insects of any kind, but concluded that there must 

 have been something- of that kind working among; these fruit buds 

 that destroyed the life. I found this to be the same at L. Schmidt's 

 place in the town of Mulligan, eight miles from Springiield, who 

 has a seedling cherry orchard; the crop failed with him. Other 

 years he has had moderate success with this fruit. Mr. Dewain 

 Cook writes ine that the cherry was a failure with him this j^ear, but 

 that he has been growing the trees and raised the fruit other years, 

 and I presume the cause of this failvire at his place could have been 

 traced to this same minute insect early in the season. My g-rounds 

 are small, with limited means, and it could hardly be expected from 

 the iew varieties I grow, or from the few varieties grown here in this 

 section, to look for much information, or to look for the coming- 

 cherry that shall be best adapted to our climate. The cherry has as 

 yet been planted by very few in this part of our state. Of the older 

 sorts grown here I should place first on the list the Early Richinond 

 and Montmorenc}^ These varieties are early in blooining and 

 ripen their fruit early in the season; the fruit is good and the trees 

 bear a fair crop; the trees are fairly hardy the last few mild winters. 

 The other cherries grown here bloom later, ripen late in July and 

 first part of August, and need further trial. We have none of the 

 Russian varieties, except what are grown by Mr. Wood and Mr. Cook 

 of Windoin. We must await reports from experimental stations, 

 where more than two dozen varieties of the Russian cherries are on 

 trial. 



The sand cherries grown here are not of the productive vari- 

 eties which are grown by parties elsewhere. They were received 

 from Mr. J.S. Harris, and no doubt are the kinds found in the eastern 

 part of this state. There seem to be three kinds among- those he 

 sent me; one is upright in growth, about five feet high, produces 

 dark red, small fruit; another slim, upright; and another trailing-. 

 The fruit of these is jet black. The trailing- variety produces the' 

 largest fruit. The bushes are full of blooin every spring-, but little 

 fruit is set. By some the sand cherry is claimed to be worthy of ex- 

 tended trial; others claim that budding thein on the plum will en- 

 hance the fruitfulness. Seedlings raised from some of the best have 

 shown some improvement and may yet prove to be of inore value. 



There are other cherries grown here; the bird or wild red cherry, 

 which so far has only been grown for its beauty. It is a very fine 

 tree when in bloom, and also when loaded with its fine red, shining 

 fruit; the leaves are of a glossy g-reen color, and it makes a fine 

 ornainental tree. As yet no attempt to my knowledge has been 

 made to improve this fruit. The tree is perfectly hardy to start with, 

 which is one of the main points in this climate. Possibly, some 

 crosses might be made with it and the other tame cherries produc- 

 ing the larg-est fruit; the bird cherry itself is very fruitful. 



Another cherry is the wild black cherry, not g-rown in this vicin- 

 ity, but I think it is native to some part of this county. Varieties of 

 this have been found in some of the states farther east which pro- 



