CHERRIES 327 



reaching here in the early Colonial days. As the peach is very 

 susceptible to frost during the blossom period, and the trees are 

 somewhat tender, in severe winter climates its distribution is not 

 so general as the apple. Large commercial peach orchards are 

 most commonly found where the climate is moderated by lakes, 

 oceans or other large bodies of water. The peach belts of Michigan 

 and Ontario, Connecticut, and the eastern seaboard, are possible 

 for this reason. Peaches are also grown in interior states and are 

 most successful where the air drainage is very good, as this tends 

 to prevent damage by frost at blossom time. Winter killing of 

 buds is much more common in districts not protected by large 

 bodies of water. Soils may be lighter for the peach than for the 

 apple. Indeed they are somtimes grown successfully on very 

 light sandy soils, if plenty of organic matter is present and fertil- 

 izers are used. 



There are many varieties of peaches which are grouped under 

 two main types free-stone and cling-stone. The former are 

 usually preferred for eating out of hand and for canning purposes. 

 Cling-stone peaches are very rich in flavor and are used in making 

 sweet pickles, as well as for cooking as sauce. Further classifica- 

 tions are made according to the color of the flesh white, yellow 

 and marked with red. Elberta is the most popular free-stone 

 peach, with yellow flesh, but its quality is poor as compared to 

 many others. Crawford Early, Crawford Late, Champion, Belle 

 of Georgia and Stump-the- World are well known free-stone varie- 

 ties. Carmen is probably the most popular cling-stone variety, 

 because of its early ripening. 



Plums are of three main types: (1) Those of American origin 

 are from the species Prunus Americana, including such varieties 

 as Hawkeye, DeSoto, Weaver, and others. (2) Those of European 

 origin are from the species Prunus domestica. Good varieties 

 of this group are Green Gage, Lombard, and Goliath. (3) Plums 

 of Japanese origin are from a distinct species, and include Red 

 June, Satsuma, Burbank, Abundance and others which are of fine 

 quality and abundant flesh. 



There are other minor groups such as the Wildgoose and the 

 Damsons. 



The range of soils for plums is quite variable. As a rule the 

 Japanese plums are well suited to heavy loams and the others are 

 successful on soils which are much lighter. 



Cherries are of two classes. (1) Sweet or heart cherries, 



