3 i6 



STONE FRUITS 



characterized by the formation of large bunches of gum on 

 the bark. Trees that are formed with the main branches 

 opposite or near together on the trunk are especially sub- 

 ject to this disease. 



Cherry orchards are plowed shallow in the early spring 

 and cultivated every ten days or after every rain until 



midsummer, when they 

 are seeded to cover crops. 

 With sweet cherries, 

 there is danger of over- 

 feeding, as the tree nat- 

 urally produces a very 

 rank growth. Hence it 

 is often better to grow a 

 cover crop of non-legumi- 

 nous plants and to with- 



Fig. 169. A steep slope utilized as a cherry 



orchard. Note the furrows to prevent soil hold nitrO^enOUS ma- 

 wash. 



nures. 



Harvesting. Cherries should be hand picked a few 

 days before ripening. Special shears are sometimes used 

 for cutting the stems, the fruit being allowed to drop on 

 sheets which have been previously spread under the tree. 

 With the finer varieties more care should be exercised. 

 All small and imperfect fruits should be sorted out and 

 the cherries faced and packed into small attractive boxes 

 or baskets. Small cartons holding a pound or more of 

 fruit are often used in preparing fancy packages for special 

 markets. Care should be exercised against breaking the 

 fruit spurs, as a careless picker may, in this way, do much 

 injury to the next year's crop. 



Insects and Diseases.- The stone fruits are very sus- 

 ceptible to injury from insects and diseases. The peach 



