Remarkable cherry tree is the headline for an article in The Leader newspaper dated March 20, 1897 and is as follows:
The accompanying engraving from a photograph of a cherry tree on Mr. Wm. Hyem’s estate, Whitefield, on the King River, about 25 miles from Wangaratta, indicates in a striking manner the extraordinary fertility of the King River flats.
Mr. Hyem furnishes the following particulars:
“The variety is Black heart—at least a black cherry—of very good flavor. We have never gathered the crop to give a correct or reliable account of the yield, but we have estimated the harvest return at between 20 and 25 cwt.
Of course, being so far from the market, we have never sold them, but the neighbours get as many as they can take away.
It was planted by the late Mr. Evans, who owned Whitefield 40 years ago. I think it was planted about that time but have no definite information.
Circumference at 1 foot from the ground is 10 feet 6 inches, and 54 feet from extreme edge of branches in diameter.
Of course it is never pruned, and pruning would doubtless be a great improvement to the quality of fruit and make the berries more come-at-able, as at present it is impossible to secure the greater part thereof, but we leave it in its present natural luxuriance for the novelty.”
Scale and dimensions
In the photo, the horse and lady standing under the tree give a true perspective of the giant cherry tree.
In today’s weights and measures the circumference of the butt at 30 centimetres from the ground is 3.3 metres, width of the tree is 16.5 metres, and the height is 18.5 metres.
The yield of the tree is estimated at between 1000 and 1400 kilograms.
Cherry trees in Australia (and elsewhere) in the early days of production pre–1900s in the most fertile regions tended to be widely spaced 25 to 30 feet (7 to 9 metres), growing very large trees requiring tall ladders and sometimes pickers climbing into the tree with a bucket on a rope to pass the full bucket to the ground.
International Dwarf Fruit Tree Association (IDFTA)
Since those days, growers, nurseries and researchers around the world have devoted time and expertise to produce cherry trees that can be close planted, productive and more economic.
To that end, a group of like-minded people got together to form IDFTA. Wally Heuser became the first President, and Dr. Robert Carlson first Secretary in Michigan, USA.
The association dropped ‘Dwarf’ from the name when they felt their goal had been reached and produced a periodical named Compact Fruit Tree.
IFTA met in Hobart, Tasmania in 2007.
It is important to understand where we have come from in order to track the future direction we are taking.
IDFTA history
In 1958, The International Fruit Tree Association began its existence as the Dwarf Fruit Tree Assn.
A small meeting of fruit growers in Hartford, Michigan met to discuss the increasing interest in planting dwarf trees in commercial orchards.
As the meeting ended, it was proposed that the meeting become a regular, annual affair with the goal of keeping tree fruit growers informed and up-to-date on the latest information and research.
From these humble beginnings, IFTA has grown into an international organization noted for its commitment to furthering the fruit tree industry.
For more information about the early history of IFTA, download the book, A Historical Perspective, 1958-1991, written by Robert F. Carlson.
Robert was a former Executive Secretary of IDFTA (IFTA) and the namesake of the Carlson Lecturer at the IFTA Annual Conference.
IFTA has conducted numerous international meetings and events and its membership spans the globe and is comprised of leading orchards and tree fruit researchers.
See this article in Tree Fruit April 2023
