180 THE SMALL COUNTRY PLACE 



The fruit is marketed in the same manner as the plum, 

 most of it, however, being used for canning, as very few 

 kinds mature so as to be equal to the plum or peach in 

 quality. Numerous hybrids between the above three 

 species have been produced, some of which are of much 

 promise, and if more hardiness of tree and better 

 quality of fruit could be produced would be a great 

 acquisition. 



The Nectarine. 



This fruit may be called a smooth-skinned peach, for 

 the tree can hardly be distinguished from the peach tree, 

 but there is no down or woolly covering on the skin of the 

 fruit as on the peach. The tree is as hardy as the peach 

 tree, but the fruit buds are more frequently winter- 

 killed. The nectarine requires the same treatment as the 

 peach in every way, but as the skin of the fruit is smooth 

 more attention must be given to protection from the 

 plum curculio. 



The Downton and Boston are among the best varieties. 



THE CHERRY. 



This is our most difficult fruit to grow in nearly all 

 sections of the country with the exception, perhaps, of 

 California and the Pacific Coast. 



As with all of the stone fruits, more or less, the trees 

 are easily injured by severe cold, growing well for a few 

 years while young and then dying. The only places 

 where we find trees of large size are in grass along the 

 roadsides or on the lawns, and even here old trees often 

 die without apparent cause in a single winter. 



The best land for cherries is a rather thin, poor soil, 

 with quick drainage; but it must be made rich enough 

 to produce a good growth, if not already in that condi- 

 tion, by the application of stable manure in the fall 

 before the ground freezes. 



