The Plum

We take the following froui an address before the March meeting of the Potomac fruit growers' association, by Dr. U. F. Needham. The climate and soil of our middle states are admirably suited to the production of the plum and many of our varieties surpass in beauty and flavor the finest or England or France. Pluins make a beautif ui dessert fruit, and eaten in rnoderation when perfectly ripe are quite wholesome. The plum should be allowed to become f ully ripe before being picked, and the fruit will "be finer as the tree has .1 more sunny exposur. For the kitchen the plum is universally esteemed for tarts, pies, sweetineats and canning. One of the most important uses of plums is to dry them and thus make the prunes of commerce. The varieties best adapted will be mentioned further on; and what with our improved dryers and varieties of superior flavor it would seem that we could easily compete with the prunes of France, which are now exported to all parts of the world. The plum is most easily propagated by sowing the seeds of any free growing variety (avoiding damsons) and budding these stocks in midsummer when they are two years old. Standard cultivation is the universal mode in this country, as the tree is one of the hardiest. Very little pruning of this tree is needed, merely thinning out the crowded heads and cutting away the cross branches. A clay loam is naturally the most favorable soif for this fruit. Trees planted on sandy soils will blossom, but will bear but little fruit. A little salt is one of the best fertilizers of the plum tree, greatly promoting its health and luxuriance. The chief obstacles to cultivation of the plum are two, the black knot and the curculio. The former is extirpated by cutting off and burning every branch and twig that is affected. The cureulio may be destroyed in various ways, but the' i arring of the trees in the early morning with rubber balls and catching the insects in sheets spread under the trees is the most efflcacious. Plums for Michigan tested andrecommended for all portions of the state are: August - Bleeker's gage, Bradahaw, Duane's purple, Huling's Superb, McLaughlin, Smith's Orleans, AVashington, Yellow Egg. September- Red Magnum, Bonum, Quackenboss, Monroe, Jefferson, imperial gages, Coe's Golden Drop and Lombard, the last two the most popular. October - Bavay's green gage. Prunos will not be made here at present as it is difficult to obtain enough to supply the demand for the fruit, without the trouble of drying. The Dawson is good for preserves, and the Germán prune for drying and preserving.