No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 645 



PLUMS 



By J. W. KERR, Denton, Maryland. 



First: Can pliinis be grown in a commercial wav in this state, 

 Avith reasonable assurance of fair profit? 



Second: If so, what as to adaptabilit}^ of soils? 



Third: Are there any special cultural operations, indispensable 

 to the realization of the golden hopes of the planter? 



Fourth : How decrease the errors, common in the selection of 

 varieties? 



Suppose a plat anywhere east of the Mississippi river, one hun- 

 dred miles square, had a plum specialist at each single angle to 

 solve these cjueries by the requirements of modern orchard manage- 

 ment; as far as general principles would aid the answers would be 

 branded A\ith a similarity, suspicious because of the monotony. If 

 the square is reduced to one-hundredth of this size, with an enthus- 

 iastic orchardist at each corner a comparison as to details would dis- 

 close a variety, rivaling that in the recorded and publicly expressed 

 opinions of the Ben Davis apple. 



The accomplishing of the absorbing and vital end, compels the 

 utilization of means, unlike in kind and character, in the prompt con- 

 trol of emergencies, quite frequently and unexpectedly thrust upon 

 the person in charge. No doubtful logic — no inconsistent hypoth- 

 eses — no fragile assumption need be employed in making affirmative 

 answer to query, No. 1. A far better, stronger and clearer proof 

 than is possible by such means is the tangible fact that in every 

 county in this great commonwealth, plums are growTi in a limited 

 way, and in some instances by primitive means, for family use; 

 this is common knowledge, and practically indicative as to the pos- 

 sibilities possessed by this fruit tor market growing, as also reliably 

 exemplifying the esteem in Avhich it is held by the peoi)le. 



The greatest plum pnzzle I have seen, hails from a county in 

 this state, where only slight and crude attention is given the plum, 

 outside of what is necessary to provide sufficient fruit for family 

 use, yet from this wholly unexpected source, where for years it has 

 been the main dependence for such purpose, we have a variety, upon 

 the botanical status of w^hich the best authorities do not agree. Up 

 to the present it remains a what-is-it, as relates to species. This di- 

 gression is made simply to emjjhasize the important truth, that when 

 plums are discussed from the stand point of a prescribed area, the 

 merits of the fruit as a whole are generally underestimated. Now, 

 if here and there on the farms and about the homes of the people 

 in the ditierent counties, this fruit grows well enough to afford a 

 supply to such families, where in most instances the only attention 

 given the trees is to -gather the fruit from them, at all other seasons 

 treated with cruel unconcern and superlative neglect; by what men- 



