318 . State Horticultural Society. 



of fruit, but with none more than with plums. Many varieties, par- 

 ticularly of the Japan and American classes, have a great tendency to 

 overbear. They will set twice or ten times as much fruit as they 

 ought to mature, and do it year after year. Burbank, De Soto and 

 Lombard may be mentioned as examples. The overbearing tends to 

 weaken the trees. In fact, hundreds of trees are killed by it. At the 

 same time it makes the current crops small of fruit and less valuable 

 on the market. One bushel of fine large fruit is worth three bushels 

 of sour, undersized plums, and it is much easier for the tree to produce 

 it. Thinning is a well recognized practice among the best growers." 

 "Plums should be thinned immediately after the June drop." 



With proper attention, it is a settled question that plums can be 

 grown in North Missouri, and while native varieties show more hard- 

 iness, with better treatment choice Japan and Domestic varieties can 

 be successfully grown. Tljey will require good soil, good natural 

 drainage, good cultivation, and especially a cover crop of rye or oats 

 to check late growth and for winter protection. There should be thor- 

 oughness in spraying against rot and insect pests. In short, thorough- 

 ness in everything that pertains to plum growing and making it a suc- 

 cess. 



Trenton, Mo., Dec. 31st, 1901. 

 L. A. Goodman, Kansas City, Mo. : 



. Dear Sir — After reading a report of the St. Joseph meeting it 

 struck me that I ought to send some photographs of plums to back up 

 statements made in my paper. I can not understand why the Wild 

 Goose should be put to the front when Poole's Pride or Kroh is far 

 superior both in yield and quality of fruit. The tree is a good grower, 

 bears early and enormously. The fruit is not as large as the Wild 

 Goose but the seed is very small and the fruit has none of the astrin- 

 gency that the Wild Goose has and is excellent for canning. It is all 

 nonsense that we can not grow anything successfully better than 

 Wild Goose or Damson. With the right kind of treatment we can 

 grow any of the Japan or Domestic varieties, at least we are doing so, 

 but of course it would be a total failure if we failed to give proper at- 

 tention to the essential things to be done. Possibly this particular lo- 

 cality is better suited to plum -growing than some other parts of the 

 State, but be it so or not, if we are not too lazy we can grow choice 

 kinds of plums. Yours truly, 



E. L. MASON. 



