Middletown transcript., 1897-10-02
OF Interest
to Farmers
THE CHERRY IN DELAWARE.


In a pamphlet entitled 1.-THE Cherry
in Delaware" written by G.. Harold
Powell from data collected at the Della
ware College Agricultural Experiment
Station, the following appears:
The cherry interests of Delaware are
limited to isolated dooryard and fence
corner paintings. The sour cherry sue
ceeds well in all parts OF the State, and
is grown to considerable extent in
central Kent county in the vicinity of
Camden, where the Early Richmond is
the principal variety. The profitable
area of the sweet cherry, however, is
confined to the rolling lands Of New
Castle county. Vigorous trees Of the
sweet cherry are frequently seen in CEN
trail and southern Delaware, but be-
yond profusion of flowers and an oe-
casional crop of fruit, they serve only
for ornament and shade.
From the vicinity of Camden, twelve
tons Of sour cherries were shipped this
year at prices ranging from 4 to 5 cents
per pound, and about four tons were
sent from Lebanon. In northern Della
ware, where detached trees of sweet
cherries produced abundance Of lus-
cious fruit, the product was easily dis
posed of at five to ten cents per quart.
The sweet cherry has been most ex-
tensively planted in Brandywine hum
dred, the product finding sale in the
Wilmington market. Formerly the
sweet cherry was more largely planted
in northern Delaware, but Of
recent years the growers
complain Of lessening productiveness
and longevity of the trees.
The May Duke and the Bleeding
Heart have been the principal varieties,
the latter an old, dark-colored English
sort, ripehing the first and second
weeks in June, and no longer generally
propag ated by nurserymen. The les
sened longevity and productiveness Of
the trees are, in all probability, due to
faulty methods in handling them in
their early life, and like the apple or
chards Of western New York, are suff
ering from lack Of care and attention.
There are several factors which
would account for the lack Of atten-
tion that has been given to the devel-
opment of the cherry industry in Della
ware. The principles of cherry culture
are nowhere generally understood. The
industry is one requiring unusual skill
in handling the orchard and In mar
keting the crop, the fruit and blossoms
are particularly susceptible to the
fruit-rOt fungus, which often blasts the
prospective harvest in the flower and
frequently cuts off the whole crop in
single day; its early blooming predis-
poses It to the fatal effects of late spring
frosts, aud the liability Of the sweet
varieties to sun ssald and to the burst
| ing of the bark has discouraged its de-
velopment. Furthermore, the abnor-
NAL extension Of the peach acreage
from 1850, and subsequent lack Of
confidence in all fruits in the peach
yellows areas, have deferred the devel-
opment untried horticultural indus
tries.
The admirable success Of the sour
cherry throughout the State, and Of
the sweet varieties in the northern
part, indicates that the industry might
be advantageously extended. There
| is no doubt but that the Gamers Of the
State would add the cherry to their
lists, If it were grown 10 sufficient
quantities. 1t Is not advisable to at
tempt the culture ofthe sweet cherry
where extreme precaution is needed to
preserve the trse, but bstter to limit
1 uuO W tuVoO WAOA0
existing trees form an indication Of its
adaptability. The finest types of cher
ries always command high price, the
Black Tartarian aud other dark sorts
selling from eight to fifteen cents per
pound. There need be no apprehension
that the production of the finest va
rieties will be ovsrdone.
| Unfortunately, the industry is 81
small that geographical varieties arr
| yet undeveloped, except In the extreme
northeastern border and central west
ern plains states. where the Russians
and harder sour cherries are looked
forward to with confidence, Foftu
natelY, however. existing varieties ars
very cosmopolitan and adapt them
selves to wide area. The diferenc'
In the ripening period between Della
/ ware and eastern New York is from
two to three weeks.