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STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 71 



and Hanford's Orleans, but arc not propagating from any but the Nectarine, which w< 

 think highly of. 



PRUNING AND CULTIVATION. 



We prune but little, and that while the tree is young, starting the head about three 

 feet from the ground. Cultivate aboul the same as with the apple. It is an excellent 

 plan on our rich, prairie soil after the first year, to practice sowing oats among the trees 

 in July. This checks their rank growth, causing them to mature their wood early, and 

 thus be in a better condition for wintering. 



DISEASES. 



There are but two or three diseases to which the plum is liable. The black wart lias 

 Dot proved very troublesome in the West, though it is frequently met with — we occa- 

 sionally find it on our own trees, but by cutting oil" the affected limb and burning, the 

 disease does not increase. The fruit rot is occasionally troublesome, it Ls sometimes if 

 not generally confined to varieties. The Diapree Rouge is seldom troubled, while the 

 Duane's Purple in some seasons is very seriously affected with it. Thinning the fruit so 

 no two shall touch each other, is a partial remedy. The plum is frequently injured 

 more or less by the winter, sometimes the tier is killed outright, but more generally it 

 is thrown into a diseased or sickly condition. The abundant vegetable matter in our 

 rich prairie soil causes an excessive growth in the latter part of the season, unfitting the 

 tree for the sudden changes of temperature our winters subject them to. The sowing of 

 oats as before mentioned, will remedy this to some extent; screens of evergreen or de- 

 ciduous trees are also beneficial. 



INSECTS. 



Like the apple and peach, the plum is troubled with a borer, and what is a little singu- 

 lar, this tint i> not mentioned in any of our fruit books, it is quite troublesome with us ; I 

 have suspected that it might be identical with the peach borer, but will leave this for the 

 Entomologist to decide. It is also troubled with a trunk borer, the same I suppose that 

 attacks the apple, tin- elm, soft maple and other trees. Recently transplanted and un- 

 thrifty trees are generally the only ones troubled. 



The ('.inker Worm seems to be nearly as much at home on the plum as on the apple, 

 and has been very troublesome with us. The Caterpiller is frequently found on the 

 plum. The Leaf Holler also is perfectly at home there. Last but not least are the Cur- 

 culio and Plum Gouger. These have been SO thoroughly described by Dr. Walsh in his 

 first Annual Report of the Acting State Entomolgist that it would be superfluous 1" des- 

 cribe them in this esBay, merely mentioning that while the larva of the former live-, upon 

 the fruit, that of the hitter lives upon the kernel Inside of the shell. 



Hemediu, Offensive and Defensive — their Result. — First, in the offensive department, I 

 will give the New York Observer's gnat Curculio remedy : » * 



"To one pound of whale oil soup add four ounces of sulphur. Mix thoroughly and dis- 

 solve in twelve gallons of water. Take one half peck of quick lime, and when well 

 slacked, add four gallons of water, and stir well together. When well settled and clear, 

 pour off the transparent part and add it to tie' soap and water mixture. 



"To this mixture add four gallons of strong tobacco water. Apply this compound, 

 when thus incorporated with a garden -yringe to your plum, or other Bruit trees, so as to 



