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THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
crs Late Red ever grew to produce fruit, and neither of 
these enough thus far to pay first cost of trees. Sour varie¬ 
ties planted at the same time mostly did well. But one must 
be where cheap help can be had to pick, and then there is 
one continual fight with birds. Within the past week over 
half the crop of Early Richmond has been taken by birds. 
Storrs, Conn. A. G. Gulley. 
For a number of years, cherry trees have been planted 
literally by the millions in the northwestern counties of the 
state which border on Lake Michigan, beginning just north 
of Muskegon and extending as far north as the Straits of 
Mackinaw. While there have been extensive plantings in 
some of the other counties, there are very few sections where 
the cherry crop is sufficient to supply the local demand. 
The extensive planting held up well to 1911, but there was 
a large drop in 1912, and it would appear that the limit 
has been about reached. With this explanation, I think 
that the answers I have given upon the blank will not be 
misleading. 
East Lansing, Mich. L. R. Taft. 
There are very few sweet cherries grown here, and ninety 
per cent of the sour cherries are Montmorency. It has more 
commercial value than all others put together. 
South Haven, Mich. Frank A. Wilken. 
Sweet cherries are positive failures in this prairie region, 
and so far our northern Iowa merchants have found a 
market for all the Early Riclimond and Montmorency we 
produce. Therefore, we have no canning factories. Al¬ 
though our cherry crop was lighter than usual this year, on 
account of the heavy yield of last summer followed by an 
excessive drouth, the size and quality of the fruit was un¬ 
usually good, and practically all our crop was sold at $2.30 
per bushel, from which a total expense of about $1.00 should 
be deducted to figure the net profit. 
Des Moines, la. Watrous Nursery Co. 
APPLE PACKING 
It is said that the bill now before Congress aiming to 
establish a system of packing which will permit the use of 
the brand “U. S. Standard” stands a good chance of becom¬ 
ing a law. It is also said that the bill has the approval of 
men throughout the country in all branches of the apple 
industry, although one of the chief promoters of the bill. 
Congressman Sulzer of New York City, does not represent 
an agricultural population. 
This bill, should it become a law, will not compel the use 
of the form of package or the adoption of the grades specified 
—it only stipulates that packages of apples shall not be 
marked ‘‘U. S. Standard” unless they conform to the provi¬ 
sions of the bill. In the first place, three standard grades 
of apples are established, as follows: U. S. Standard, 
minimum size 2^ inches; U. S. Standard, minimum size 2^ 
inches; U. S. Standard, minimum size 2 inches, in each case 
the minimum size specified being in transverse diameter. 
Apples so packed are to be of one variety, hand picked, well 
grown, of good color for that variety, normal shape, and 
practically free from bruises and other defects, or within 
ten per cent of these specifications. The standard barrel 
shall have dimensions as follows: length of stave, 28^ 
inches; diameter of head, 173^ inches; distance between 
heads, 26 inches; circumference of bulge, 64 inches, outside 
measurement; thus giving as nearly as possible 7056 cubic 
inches. Barrels of other sizes used for apples shall not be 
considered as standard unless plainly marked on end and 
size, showdng their fractional capacity in , relation to the 
standard. The act will be effective July i, 1913. 
REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON GRADING NURSERY 
STOCK 
At the last annual meeting of the American Association 
of Nurserymen held at St. Louis, Mo., in June, 1911, a 
motion was passed appointing a committee to agree upon a 
uniform set of grades for fruit trees, to be adopted by the 
Association. The motion went further and required the 
committee to have the same printed in the trade journals 
at least one month prior to the next annual meeting, and in 
compliance with that notion, your committee presents the 
following grades. 
All grades of trees shall be of fair shape, branched, well 
rooted. Caliper to govern and measurements taken two 
inches from the crown or bud, of the following grades: 
Apple: 11-16 in. and up, 5 ft. and up; ^ to 11-16 in., 
4 ft. and up; to ^ in., 3^^ ft. and up; ^ to in. 3 to 4 
ft., whips included. 
Cherry: ^ in and up, 4j^ ft. and up; ^ to in., 4 ft. 
and up; to ^ in., 3 ft. and up; to in., 2 ft. and up. 
Standard Pear: in. and up, 5 ft. and up; ^ to in., 
4 ft. and up; to ^ in., 3^^ ft. and up; ^ to in., 3 ft. 
and up. 
Dwarf Pear: ^ in. and up, 3 ft. and up; ^ to ^ in., 
3 ft. and up; to ^ in., 2}^ ft. and up; ^ to in., 2 ft. 
and up. 
Two year Plum: ^ in. and up, 5 ft. and up; ^ to ^ in., 
4 ft. and up; to ^ in., 3^^ ft. and up; ^ to in., 3 ft. 
and up. 
One year Peach, Plum and Apricot: 11-16 in. and up, 
5 ft. and up; 9-16 to ii-i6 in., 4 ft. and up; 7-16 to 9-16 in., 
3 ft. and up; 5-16 to 7-16 in., 2 ft. and up. 
Some exceptions to the above may be made on such 
varieties as are known to the trade to be light growers, such 
as Yellow Transparent, Duchess apple, Seckel pear, English 
Morello cherr}^ etc., or from weather conditions affecting 
their growth, but such exceptions shall be noted in the 
printed price list issued by each grower or in their corres¬ 
pondence regarding all sales. 
We would further say that the grades as named were 
adopted by the Western Association of Nurserymen at 
their meeting held in Kansas City in December, 1911. 
It has been the aim of the committee to adhere to the 
grades generally used by the majority of the nurserymen 
of the Association, and as most of these grades have been a 
standard for years, there should be no trouble in agreeing 
upon its adoption. The main object was to cut the number 
of grades to the minimum and to make enough distinction 
between each grade. 
Respectfully submitted, 
E. P. Bernardin, 
E. S. Welch, 
W. T. Maloney, 
Committee. 
