THE KANSAS CHERRY. 73 



than it is to secure the extra herbage which would result from delay. 

 This is especially true with the sour cherry, which matures its product 

 so early in the season, and which jDrofits so much by a liberal and 

 constant supply of soil moisture. Plowing can also be begun earlier 

 on land which has a sowed crop upon it, because of the drying action 

 of the crop. The fertilizers which give best results with other or- 

 chard fruits may be expected to yield equally good returns with the 

 cherry. 



It is an almost universal fault to plant cherry trees too close to- 

 gether. The Montmorency should not be planted closer than eighteen 

 feet each way in orchard blocks, although it is often set as close as 

 twelve feet. The English Morello is a more bushy grower and may, 

 perhaps, be set as close as sixteen feet with success ; but I believe that 

 even this variety should stand eighteen feet apart. The sour cherry 

 orchards in western New York are yet so young that the evil effects 

 of close planting have not yet been made apparent. I find, however, 

 that nearly every shrewd orchardist who has had experience with 

 these fruits is convinced that the general planting is too close. — From 

 Cornell Bulletin. 



WHERE TO PLANT CHERRIES. 



The two great classes of cherries differ widely in their adaptability 

 to the conditions of the climate and soil. The sour class is far the 

 most hardy of constitution, both as to heat and cold. They also flourish 

 on more varieties of soil than the sweet class. The soil and climate 

 that suit the sweet cherries are good for the sour kinds too, but not 

 vice ve7'sa. 



The sour varieties delight in a rich loamy soil that has considerable 

 clay in it and one that does not easily dry out ; however, the soil 

 should not be wet. The sweet kinds require a looser and more mel- 

 low soil ; one that is sandy or gravelly is good if well enriched, but it 

 may be made too rich, and thus induce too late and tender growth. 

 The cherry should mature its wood early. 



The sour cherries will grow in almost any climate that will suit the 

 apple, but on the prairies of the Northwest it is only some of the 

 hardiest Russian kinds that can endure the rigors of the winter, and 

 these cannot always succeed. The sweet class find their most con- 

 genial climate in North America in the milder regions of Oregon and 

 Washington. In California they also do well. In the foot-hills of 

 the Blue Ridge and Alleghany mountains and along the Hudson 

 river they do best in the Eastern states. In the Mississippi valley 

 they are liable to die early from the effects of the violent changes of 



