82 STATE POMOLOQICAL SOCIETY. 



bushels of cherries, which one 3'ear were sold at the rate of $7.00 

 per bushel. Another instance is of a small fruit garden in Port- 

 land, belonging to Mr. Geo. W. Rich, from which, as the product 

 of not over five trees of moderate size, were sold about two years 

 since $30.00 worth, besides considerable quantities used by the 

 family and given to friends. Mr. Rich sold his cherries for thirty 

 cents per quart in the Portland market. 



A correspondent of the Country Gentleman, describing a visit 

 among the orchards of the noted horticulturist. Dr. E. S. Hull, 

 (since deceased), near Alton, 111., in 1871, writes : "Cherries had 

 borne in great abundance, and $800 worth met quick sale in Chi- 

 cago at from $3.50 to $5 per box of less than one-third bushel." 

 This too, when the Chicago market was doubtless flooded with 

 cheap strawberries and other small fruits. 



I cite these as cases incidentally coming to my notice ; doubt- 

 less they are examples of hundreds similar. From the fact that 

 the cultivation of this fruit has of late years become a success in 

 ilassachusetts, and that it generally commands a high price in 

 the markets of Boston and other New England cities, I believe it 

 will not require a great expenditure of money or labor to enable 

 any prudent fruit culturist to solve the momentous question, "will 

 it pay?" 



The cherry, being of a perishable nature, is regarded by many 

 as an unsafe fruit for shipping purposes. This objection, though 

 an important one at first thought, is not so formidable as it seems 

 when we remember that strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, 

 currants, blueberries, grapes, and other short-lived fruits, are 

 every year shipped hundreds of miles bj' railroad and steamer. 

 During the last year strawberries and raspberries were sent by 

 steamer to the Boston market from Eastern Maine and Nova Scotia, 

 and arrived in fine condition, and were reported in an editorial 

 article in the Boston Cultivator to be the best fruit of those kinds 

 seen in that market for the season, bringing the highest prices. I 

 have had no experience in shipping cherries to distant markets, 

 but I have no doubt, with proper care in packing, they may be 

 sent 500 miles by steamer, and probably by rail, without injury. 

 Besides, there is a good local market in every village in Maine for 

 many bushels of this fruit at remunerative prices, and according 

 to my observation of the demand for this and other summer fruits 

 in any of our manufacturing centers, a man has but to show his 

 fruit, if it is of decent quality, and the boxes of fruit speedily 



