THE KANSAS CHERRY. 39 



as of all others combined. English Morello makes a small, busliy 

 tree, is an early and abundant bearer, not capable of withstanding as 

 low temperature as the Richmond or Montmorency, but is less suscep- 

 tible to bark-bursting during a long period of drought. It is very sub- 

 ject to leaf-blight, and easily succumbs to the ill effects of excessive 

 moisture. Fruit medium to large in size, roundish in form, in color 

 almost black when fully ripe, flesh very dark and sour ; regarded by 

 some as a good canner. Begin to ripen from the middle to the last 

 of June. 



Montmorency is a very large, light-red, long-stemmed cherry, flat- 

 tened on the ends, flesh more solid than in the Richmond, and of 

 about the same flavor. The tree is a strong, erect and symmetrical 

 grower, and, all points considered, it is with me the hardiest of all. 

 I have found young trees unproductive ; but Mr. Bailey, of Cornell, 

 claims it to be a bearer of great crops of fruit, even outdoing the En- 

 glish Morello when in full bearing, which is a year or two later than 

 that variety. He refers to a Mr. Scoon, who considered a crop of 

 eight to ten tons a good one from his 800 trees, and, selling at five 

 cents a pound, brings $1 per tree or $130 per acre from trees set eight 

 years. Mr. Bailey thinks this a very conservative estimate. Another 

 case is cited : Mr. Kean, of Seneca, has 200 Montmorency six years 

 set ; has had three crops, one of 1400, one of 3000 and one of 3100 

 pounds, and, at five cents, means $375 for the three crops. His trees 

 are set 10x12 feet, which allows 360 trees to the acre; this means 

 that $375 was taken from a little more than a half-acre in three years. 

 Another experience : A Mr. Perkins, with thirty-five trees, eight and 

 twelve years old, yields from $100 to $175 a year. All of this is en- 

 couraging to me, for, up to this time, my experience led me to con- 

 clude that unproductivene,ss was its only weak point. 



Ostheim is of about the character in tree and fruit as the English 

 Morello, probably less acid, and may become more pojDular when 

 known, but is not very extensively planted at jjresent. Louis Philippe 

 is considered valuable by some growers in the East and has some 

 good points to recommend it for trial by Western growers. A few 

 trees of the Late Duke in my neighborhood have given their owners 

 pleasure and profit. My own profits in cherry growing have come 

 from the English Morello. I had 150 yearling trees set in the spring 

 of 1888, 10x15 feet, among raspberry plants set two years before. In 

 1891 we picked the first fruit for market, which was thirty-one cases, 

 and sold for $16.50. Our best crops were had in 1895, 1896. and 1897. 

 The crop of 1895 was 128 cases, and sold for $228.43. These trees 

 occupied 22,500 square feet — a few feet over one-half an acre. Up 

 to 1891 we were receiving paying crops of rasi)berries. 



