88 • State Horticultural Society. 



they have borne wonderful crops. The Gold is a good plum. We had 

 fine crops in Bates county last year, also in South Missouri. Wickson, 

 Buikank, Gold and Red June are good varieties. If there were some 

 way that they could get over the two or three weeks at blooming time, 

 they would certainly be very good. 



Mr. Kemper. — Is there much difiference about the peach on plum' 

 and plum on plum ? 



Secy. Goodman. — I think where the soil is not dry enough for the 

 peach root, it is w"ell to have it on the plum root. 



Mr. Kemper. — Will it live as well with plum on plum ? 



Secy. Goodman. — The plum root will stand more moisture. 



Pres. Bobnett. — Do chickens roosting on the plum trees hurt them? 



G. T. Tippin. — When they bend the limbs and get them out of 

 shape. When we have a few chickens and lots of plum trees, it is all 

 right. 



Secy. Goodman. — In the spring when the sap is running up, the 

 chickens are apt to rub the bark and loosen it and kill the trees. 



Mr. Tippin. — I have one tree of the Newman. It is a more prolific 

 bearer than the others and lasts longer in the season. It is about the 

 size of the Wild Goose plum. I am safe in saying the plum lasts six 

 weeks and gives better results than anything I have planted. 



DISCUSSION ON GIRDLING. 



Mr. Morrill. — Three years ago I was at Sparta, Ga., and several 

 traveling men were talking about the peach business. In the month 

 of March we had our peach crop damaged. One of these gentlemen, 

 who traveled for a chemical company in Ohio, asked me what it would 

 be worth to Georgia if they would be assured of a peach crop every 

 year, I said it would be worth millions. He said he would like to make 

 a proposition to me. He said that several years ago in Ohio, he was 

 looking at some peach trees and some one had hitched their horse to 

 a tree, the strap had been broken and part left tied around the tree. 

 He said he noticed that the sap was not running into the limb on which 

 the strap was tied. A freeze came and killed every peach except on that 

 limb which was loaded with fruit. He thought there was something 

 in that and took a tree in his own garden and bound it with a strong 

 piece of scrap iron. That year every peach in his garden, he said, was 

 killed except on that tree and it had a full crop. He had not time to 

 tend to this business, but thought the principle could be patented. It 

 might save millions. We could patent the principle and the steel bands 

 and might save the peach crop in the whole Union, by preventing the 

 early budding of the peach. I would like to see some one try this prin- 



