SPECIAL THINGS NEEDED BY FRUITS 



Aphides and the Scale are the sucking insects attacking the 

 Quince, while Curculio, Codlin Moth, Bag Worm, Caterpillers 

 and Borers are the chewing insects. These are all the same as 

 on the apple. 



CHERRY 



In all parts of the East, cherries seem to thrive especially 

 well, but it remained for Colorado and the Pacific coast to show 

 what could be done in growing them. New York has some com- 

 mercial cherry orchards, but the East does not grow one-tenth 

 of the cherries it uses. Go into the better markets during the 

 cherry season, and you will find that California and other 

 Western states have supplied nearly all of this fruit. 



Medium-sized, one-year, unbranched trees, especially if 

 they are of sweet varieties, are surer to grow than heavier ones. 

 Two-year trees, however, are good when properly dormant. 

 There is a world of difference in the growth and habits of sweet 

 and sour cherry trees. In general, it can be said that the sweet 

 do best on high land and in mountainous districts, while the 

 sour reach their greatest perfection down lower, and on lighter 

 soil. If there is a choice, select a light loam, gravel or similar 

 soil, although cherries will thrive in any place that is not 

 damp. They will not succeed to any extent in a seepage place 

 that is not drained. Trees that are propagated on Mazzard 

 stock are hardier and thriftier under adverse conditions than 

 those on Mahalab or native stock; hence, get trees on Mazzard 

 stock for exposed places and for northern districts. 



Cherry trees are prone to grow too fast, splitting the bark 

 on trunk or limbs and doing other damage. For this reason, 

 and because the fruit ripens much earlier than other tree fruits, 

 cultivation should stop about the beginning of June. Never 

 use very heavy mulches under the trees, nor much, if any, 

 stable manure. Nitrate of soda, or any fertilizer containing 

 much nitrogen, is liable to do more harm than good. This, of 

 course, depends upon the soil. A poor soil, not deeply torn up 

 at the start, will demand more nitrogen and cultivation to 

 feed its cherry trees than a porous and mellow soil. But, in 

 general, cherries will thrive best when the ground is seeded to 

 grass and kept that way. 



The less cherry trees are pruned, the better for them. It 

 is necessary to cut back the trees at the start, and to shape 

 the head while it is growing. Cut out limbs that cross each 

 other let in the sunlight, and remove dead limbs. That is 

 about all that will be needed. Fruit is borne only on wood that 

 is two or three years old. As for marketing, only a few words 

 are to be said, yet these are of great importance. Remove all 

 imperfect cherries, then pack the perfect ones in wooden boxes 

 such as are shown in the packing scene on page 117. They 

 should be arranged in rows, and must not be loose. On almost 

 any city market you can get from fifteen to twenty-five cents 

 a quart for good cherries packed in this way. 



The choice of varieties depends upon the color and flavor you 



in 



