WEST MICHIGAN FRUIT GROWERS' SOCIETY. 187 



etc., sorts which equal or surpass in beauty and flavor the most celebrated 

 plums of France or England. 



VARIETIES. 



In regard to the best varieties to plant for profit, I find the following list 

 the best, named in the order of ripening: 



Bradshaw — Fruit very large, dark violet bloom, with a slight neck ; tree an 

 upright and vigorous grower and productive; ripens middle of August. 



Duane's Purple — Fruit large size, roundish, inclined to be swollen on one 

 side; color, a reddish purple, very handsome; tree an upright and rapid 

 grower and bears annual crops. Ripens last of August. 



Lombard — Fruit medium, oval, violet red, juicy, and good ; tree hardy and 

 immensely productive; a valuable market variety; ripens September first. 



Pond's Seedling — Fruit very large, sometimes of immense size, form of 

 Magnum Bonum ; color a light red with a beautiful lilac bloom ; one of the 

 most attractive in cultivation; tree a good, upright grower, and fair bearer; 

 inclined to roc in some seasons; ripens from the 10th to 15th of September. 



Quackeuboss — Fruit large, oblong oval, deep purple; valuable for market; 

 tree a vigorous and spreading grower, hardy and productive; ripens middle 

 of September. 



Bavay's Green Gage — Fruit medium to large, roundish, oval, pale yellow 

 marked with red in the sun; hangs long on the tree and is a market fruit of 

 great value; tree moderately vigorous and remarkably productive; ripens 

 last of September. 



Shorpshire Damson — Fruit small to medium, but larger than the common 

 Damson, roundish oblong; color dark blue; on account of its lateness it 

 commands high prices in market; tree a moderate grower but very produc- 

 tive; ripens Oct. 1. 



Of the late novelties, or new varieties, I will mention only two, not having 

 fruited these to any extent as yet. 



Shipper's Pride — Fruit medium, round, oval, color dark purple, with a 

 heavy bloom and handsome appearance; tree a very strong and upright grow- 

 er, hardy and early bearer; ripens Sept. 15. 



Stanton — Fruit nearly round, medium to large ; color a dark bluish purple, 

 and on account of its late ripening, said to be one of the most valuable for 

 market ; tree a strong grower, hardy and prolific ; season of ripening, Oct. 1 

 to 10. 



MANAGEMENT. 



Open standard culture is the universal mode in America, as the plum is 

 one of the hardiest of fruit trees; and being as it is, an annual and heavy 

 bearer, it naturally requires a good soil or a great quantity of fertilizer 

 applied annually to bearing orchards. As the plum is so very productive, do 

 not let the trees overbear or break down with their fruit. But trim the fruit 

 properly, so as to have it perfect and not injure the vitality of the tree. T^he 

 best mode of culture is to plow the ground early in the spring, each season, 

 and cultivate thoroughly during the time of fruiting. It requires but very 

 little pruning, beyond that of thinning out a crowded head or taking away 

 decayed or broken branches, also heading back young trees when making too 

 luxuriant growth of wood in one season. The plum will grow vigorously in 

 almost every part of the State ; but is longer lived, and bears its most abun- 



