EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 211 



result that trees generally have made the usual amount of growth; while 

 those in fruit have devoloped fully its usual size and quality. 



Watering has only been resorted to in the cases of a few newly planted 

 trees, by filling a trench about them with water, and replacing the dry 

 earth, after the water had been absorbed. Under this treatment, a few 

 spring-planted trees only have failed, mainly those in bad condition when 

 received. 



The rose chafer {Macrodactylus siihspinosus) , which heretofore had 

 heen mostly confined to a few plum trees on light soil, has this year 

 become more widely disseminated, especially upon the peach, and upon a 

 few roses near the buildings. It has been attacked by hand picking, and 

 also in connection with the curculio by jarring upon a cloth. 



The curculio, though occurring in limited numbers upon the cherry 

 and peach, seems to have devoted its attention mainly to the plum, 

 though, after one or two jarrings, so few were found that the work was 

 omitted for a time, but resumed upon the reappearance of the insect. 



The slug {Eriocampa cerasi), appeared as usual, and was sprayed with 

 buhach in water, which (possibly from adulteration of the powder) proved 

 but partially effective. The process was repeated, using strong tobacco 

 water, which proved thoroughly effective. 



Plums this year have suffered little, if at all, from the depredations of 

 fungi, with the exception of the shot-hole fungus, which appeared upon 

 several varieties in apparent defiance of the sprayings given, whether 

 because the material employed was ineffective, or for the reason that it 

 was not applied at the proper time, can not now be determined. 



Prior to the severe freezing and snowstorm of March 25 to 30, the 

 weather had been unusually mild for the season, so much so that the fruit 

 buds had become developed almost to bursting. The occurrence during 

 such storm of temperatures ranging for several days between 17° and 25°, 

 proved fatal to the entire bloom of very many varieties, especially to those 

 of the oriental or Japanese type, which are usually earlier in bloom, and, 

 for that reason, the more liable to injury from late spring frosts. 



But for this paroxysm of cold there would apparently have been a large 

 number of varieties in bloom, with prospeet of a very considerable show 

 of fruit. 



On March 19 to 21, plums (in common with other tree fruits) received 

 a spray of copper sulphate, one pound dissolved in 25 gallons of water. 



May 23 sprayed plums with Bordeaux, using 4 pounds each of copper 

 sulphate and stone lime in 32 gallons of water. 



May 26 and again on the 28th jarred plum trees for curculio, finding 

 very few. Weather cool and windy. 



July 6 sprayed plums with strong tobacco water, for slugs. 



August 25 sprayed plums with tobacco water for slugs. 



In the following table, description of varieties of fruits is omitted, to 

 appear subsequently in more satisfactory form than would be possible in 

 a table. 



The nomenclature of plums, as is the case throughout this report, is 

 conformed to the rules and practice of the American Pomological society, 

 and that of the National Division of Pomology. 



