THE KANSAS CHERRY. 13 



frequently bursts open, and large quantities of gum exude. A rich 

 garden loam, a summer drought followed by rain, excessive wood stimu- 

 lation, violent changes of temperature in the winter, or other factors 

 unfavorable to the maturing of the wood, aggravate the difficulty. 

 The bursting of the bark is probably caused by the freezing and thaw- 

 ing of the tissues under these unfavorable conditions. Both troubles 

 are more injurious to trees with exposed trunks. A low-headed and 

 spreading top, soils not too rich, and cultural methods which favor 

 the early maturity of the wood, lessen the danger. The trunks may 

 also be protected by a board, matting or screen of some kind on the 

 sunny side during the spring months. 



(Written for Bailey's "Cyclopedia of American Horticulture," by Edward J. Wickson, and 

 published on page 293 of same.) 



The Cherry in California. — In commercial importance, the 

 ■cherry is least of the fruits of the temperate zone grown in Califor- 

 nia on a commercial scale. This is not because the finest cherries 

 cannot be grown, but because the avenues for the disposition of the 

 product are not as wide as for other leading fruits. Recently there 

 are indications that these avenues will be widened, for last year ( 1898 ) 

 about 300 car-loads were profitably shipped in a fresh state to Eastern 

 markets, and a product of 500,000 cases of canned cherries was dis- 

 posed of to advantage; but until it is demonstrated that such distant 

 demands will increase, present plantations will not be largely extended. 



Cherries are costly in picking and packing, and to incur the chances 

 of a local market, oversupplied whenever the trees do their full duty, 

 the grower does not enjoy. Cherry drying has never seemed wan-anted 

 on a large scale, because of the large amount of labor required to the 

 pound of product ; and the grower has had no recourse when the can- 

 ner and local consumer will only pay the cost of picking and boxing. 

 A good shipping demand seems, therefore, to measure the extension 

 of California's cherry interest, and the early ripening of the fruit, 

 which permits its sale during the blooming season of Eastern cherry 

 trees, is the leading surety of such demand. On several occasions 

 early varieties have been shipped from the Vacaville district overland, 

 on March 31, but the usual opening date is about two weeks later, and 

 thence onward later varieties, and from later regions, may be shipped 

 until July, if found profitable. But, though there is plenty of good 

 land upon which to multiply the present total of half a million trees, 

 the cherry regions of California are restricted. It is one of the most 

 exacting of all trees, and is only profitable when its requirements are 

 respected. 



About one-half of the present acreage lies in valleys opening upon 



