North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Rodney Eveland" <reveland@collinscom.net>]

Someone always has to be the pioneer. If you have a county extension
agent where you live or even in a nearby county, I'd bet that you can
get free brochures that says sweet Cherries won't grow in your area
and there's a real good chance that pretty much everyone you meet in
your area will agree or a least say that Sweet cherries have never
been grown there. We had a fellow get a great crop of peaches here and
then all his trees died the following winter. Peaches usually die or
don't produce here. I have a 14 year old Reliance peach which has
never produced a crop. Consider yourself a pioneer. I'd pick a nice
spot with fairly decent soil that isn't in a frost pocket and go for
it. The two self pollinaters will probably produce best if you
typically have cool-insectless springs during the blooming period as
they will wind pollinate. Consider putting Emperor Francis downwind
from the other two if you have a prevailing wind. Or perhaps right
between them if the wind blows from one direction part of the day and
the opposite direction during another part of the day.
Good luck.