THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. % 383 



brought with him a large number of prune and other fruit cuttings. 

 The prune cuttings were procured in the Ville Neuve d'Agen. from 

 whence the c(mnnon California prune derives its name. Petit Prune 

 d'Agen. With these cuttings the first prune nursery on the Pacific 

 coast was started. 



For many years little thought Was given to the commercial production 

 of the prune, but attention was turned to the raising of prunes on a 

 commercial basis about 1880, and from that time on it has been ever 

 on the increase until today the State of California produces, with 

 normal crops of the world, between 50 and 60 per cent of the entire 

 world's output. 



To one contemplating the planting of a prune orchard, the first con- 

 sideration must be given to locality. Inasmuch as the State has been 

 thoroughly exploited on prune producing, the matter of judgment and 

 fact must prevail in your selection of the district of the State in which 

 you are going to plant. 



The second consideration is soil. There are thousands of acres 

 planted to prunes in this State to-day that are not adapted to this 

 variety of fruit, and should have been planted to some other variety 

 of fruit or to vines. The prune tree requires a deep, rich sandy or 

 loamy soil, and from that to a heavy soil, well drained. Upon such 

 soils water is generally obtainable for irrigation purposes. Light or 

 shallow soils do not grow successful prune orchards. Such a soil 

 as first mentioned will grow large thrifty trees capable of producing 

 annually from 5 to 10 tons of green prunes to the acre of large sized 

 fruit, as compared to trees planted upon soil not adapted to prune 

 growing, which soil will grow only a small tree capable of produc- 

 ing from 2 to 5 tons of prunes to the acre of small fruit. Com- 

 petition is bound to enter the producing field as well as other fields 

 of the business world, and it is the man who can produce at the lowest 

 cost who will be the most successful in this business. The lowest cost 

 means the greatest tonnage of good fruit to the acre and not economy 

 in the working of the property ; hence, the nece.ssity of giving the 

 question of soil a very thorough consideration and investigation. 



The third consideration is the root upon which your tree is budded. 

 In my estimation the myroljalan is by far the most successful root to 

 plant for prunes, for the following reasons : first, it is the hardiest, and 

 is long lived ; second, its roots naturally seek moisture, giving you a 

 deep rooted tree ; third, it will stand more moisture and is not subject 

 to soursap to any where near the same degree as the peach or almond 

 root ; fourth, the fruit produced from the tree on myrobalan root is 

 firmer and will show a less shrinkage in drying than either of the other 

 roots, thereby making a heavier fruit or grade than the fruit produced 

 on trees budded to other roots. 



If your soil is of a light character, then either peach or almond are 

 better adapted, but for genuine prune soil, the myrobalan is the root 

 to select. Of the other two roots generally used for prune, the almond 



