HAMPSHIRE COUNTY FARMERS' MONTHLY 



PLUMS AND CHERRIES 



Massachusetts offers an excellent mar- 

 ket for large quantities of locally grown 

 plums and cherries, both of which may 

 be made profitable crops, if given the 

 attention other fruits require. 



The selection of correct varieties is one 

 ■of the most important steps in making 

 a profitable planting. 



Only two varieties of the Japanese 

 type, Burbank and Red .June, can be 

 recommended for commercial planting. 

 Both varieties are self-sterile and should 

 be interplanted. Burbank .should make 

 up the larger portion of this planting, as 

 it is a plum of good quality, a heavy 

 producer, and comes into bearing at an 

 early age. 



Many varieties of European origin 

 have a place in small plantings. Lom- 

 bard is a very productive variety and 

 should prove profitable, provided brown 

 rot is controlled by thorough spraying. 

 Grand Duke and Monarch are reliable 

 varieties, of high quality, which will 

 l)rove more satisfactory than Lombaid in 

 orchards that are not carefully sprayed. 

 The Shropshire Damson is the best plum 

 ■of its type. 



The average man will do well to avoid 

 the sweet cherry, and devote his atten- 

 tion to the three best sour cherries of 

 their sea.sons, namely Early Eiehmond, 

 Montmorency and English Morello. Early 

 Richmond is hardy of tree, fruitful, but 

 the fruit is of poor canning quality. 

 Montmorency is the best cherry of the 

 three — the tree is vigorous and fruitful, 

 and the fruit of excellent quality and 

 large size. English Morello is less vig- 

 orous in tree growth than either Early 

 Richmond or Montmorency. The fruit 

 is red fleshed and quite acid, and the 

 foliage is very susceptible to cherry leaf 

 .spot. 



Plums and cherries thrive on a wide 

 range of soils, but do best on sandy 

 loams. Good water drainage is essential, 

 and some elevation to provide air drain- 

 age is desirable. 



Cultivation with cover crops, and the 

 addition of nitrogenous fertilizers, when 

 necessary, should be the program of soil 

 management. 



Prune back fast growing leaders and 

 cut out interfering branches. Too many 

 plum and cherry trees receive no pruning. 



Spraying must be a part of the pro- 

 gram if one is to have profitable crops. 

 Spray the plum trees with dry-mix lime- 

 sulfur or atomic sulfur and arsenate of 

 lead to control brown rot and curculio. 

 During the later stages of maturity the 

 fruit should be kept covered with the 

 fungicide. Two applications of arsenate 

 of lead at clo.^e intervals during the early 

 ■development of the fruit may be neces- 

 sary to control curculio. Black knot, 

 which also attacks the cherry, is a serious 

 fungous enemy of the plum. Cut off all 



infested branches .some distance back 

 from the knot. Cherry leaf spot may be 

 controlled by applications of commercial 

 lime-sulfur, diluted one to fifty. Three 

 applications of this mixture should be 

 made during the season. These sprays 

 will also contiol brown rot. Add arsen- 

 ate of lead to the first sprays for cur- 

 culio. Nicotine sulphate should be added 

 when aphis is present. 



George J. Raleigh, M. A. C. 



(Saacttc tlrtutiiig (£o. 



3)nb Jfriutrra 

 Nortljainptint, ilaaa. 



H. D. SMITH 



Hatfield, Mass. 



GRAIN, COAL, ICE 



AND 



FARM MACHINERY 



RADIO 



Parts 



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aESQUs 



'■i' vai^; Si '"'-■(-." iT f »->-'0'-'t 'J07W 



Noi tliamptoa , Mass. 



WIRING 



Fixtures 



Appliances 





Vegetable 



SEEDS 



■ji Flower 



Our garden seeds for years we have purcliased from one 

 firm, a concern having- back of them a record of years of suc- 

 cessful seed growing. Our seeds are tested and the fact that 

 our sales of seeds are increasing every year proves that our 

 customers are satisfied. 



May we add your name to our list? 



FOSTER-FARRAR COMPANY 



J62 MAIN STREET 

 NORTHAMPTON MASS. 



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