THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 389 



Mr. Richmond. From general experience the apricot root has not 

 been successful for budding purposes. The trees are not long-lived. 



Mr. Messenger. Regarding dynamiting the holes, in Glenn County 

 recently I learned that some holes had been dynamited in soils that 

 were not dry, and they were not successful. Have you had any 

 experience along this line? 



Mr. Richmond. I hardly know, but think that perhaps in case the 

 dynamite was used in damp, wet soils, the fumes were not there, and 

 that might have been the reason. They might have affected the roots 

 of the trees. In dynamiting in damp soil there is not the same air 

 for evaporation. Dry soil will dynamite much more rapidly and give 

 much better results than will wet soils. 



Mr. Hutchinson. One question : You say you commence gathering 

 your fruit in the Santa Clara Valley in August, the first of August? 



Mr. Richmond. Yes, about the middle of August. 



Mr. Hutchinson. And you never pick your prunes, you shake your 

 trees, you say. 



Mr. Richmond. Until the last picking, they should always be shaken. 



Mr. Hutchinson. I understand then that the tree must not be 

 shaken at all. We are obliged in my locality to Imock off or shake our 

 trees sometimes by the tenth of the month, because it is getting so late 

 that we cannot dry them. 



Mr. Richmond. What proportion comes off the trees by the time 

 you have to shake them? 



Mr. Hutchinson. Not more than one half. It seems to me that 

 this State is capable of raising everything there is, but there are certain 

 places that are more adapted for vines, raisins, and peaches than are 

 other localities. 



Mr. Galloway. I wish to speak of the Imperial prune. In Sonoma 

 County the most profitable orchards we have are Imperial prune 

 orchards, but they are very limited in extent, and it is a custom to 

 plant the Imperial prunes on heavy soils. They should be planted on 

 the higher bench lands. This is not high for your lands, but lands 

 that are well drained and not too level and where they will produce a 

 sufficient amount of sugar. The great trouble is where they are planted 

 on level grounds, and trees dry out and do not produce a sufficient 

 amount of saccharin matter to enable them to be well cured, and the 

 great trouble with such prunes is that they will ferment and make 

 trouble after they are processed, so the Imperial prune is the most 

 profitable crop we produce in Sonoma County, where it is planted on the 

 right kind of land. 



Mr. Richmond. In Sonoma County you really haven't two or three 

 hundred acres planted of the Imperials that you consider fit, have you? 



Mr. Galloway. About five hundred, I believe. 



Dr. Cook. I want to express my satisfaction and gratitude to Mr. 

 Richmond for this paper. One of the most common letters we get at 



