THE CHERRY, PLUM, PRUNE, APRICOT, AND PEACH. 179 



about all parts of the Union it is a peculiar fact that our 

 markets are not supplied except at a few local points, and 

 in a small way in crates put up on the west coast for 

 dessert use at prices beyond the reach of the masses. As 

 Professor Bailey says : ' ' The cherry is not cultivated as 

 a leading industry east of the Eocky Mountains except in 

 western New York, where the sour varieties are grown for 

 canning. The sweet cherry is confined mostly to door- 

 yard and fence-corner plantings. Sour kinds are found in 

 orchard blocks in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, 

 Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, and Nebraska." 



It is true that relatively small orchards are found in all 

 these States. Yet it is also true that such orchards are 

 far apart as a rule and the cherry is rarely found in market 

 for family use, as is the case with all other orchard fruits. 

 There is no reason for this, except that as yet the com- 

 mercial planting of the cherry is neglected, especially west 

 of the Great Lakes. Even in the small city of Ames, 

 Iowa, fifty varieties of fine cherries were picked from 

 healthy trees for exhibit at the Trans-Mississippi and 

 International Exposition at Omaha. Yet the local demand 

 for family canning is so poorly supplied that cherries are 

 engaged a year in advance by many families. But this 

 was true of the blackberry supply five years ago, while at 

 this time every grocery in the Northwest has its blackberry 

 supply following that of the strawberry. 



On hardy roots the identical varieties of the cherry used 

 for roadside trees in Germany, north Silesia, Switzerland, 

 and south Russia will mainly thrive as well in this country, 

 and the writer repeats the desire of Charles Downing, who 

 said nearly forty years ago: "We wish we could induce 

 the planting of avenues of this fine-growing fruit tree in 

 our country neighborhoods, as is the beautiful custom in 



