PLfMS. ni 



ence as yet, perhaps some of tlie older growers might know of some dif- 

 ference. I always (rim iu the i-arly part of IMarcli bel'ore the sap begins 

 to flow. 



C. II. Barnard; 1 have noticed that it you prune iu October you lay 

 the grapes down on the ground, and will have a protection that will help 

 to save a great many of the vines that you could not save in any other 

 way if you leave thorn on the trellis. We have practiced this for many 

 years, and we get a better crop by early trimming in October or Novem- 

 ber and by letting the vines lie on the ground. It is a big job, but the 

 snow and litter and leaves will help to make a covering. A. A. Alexander 

 estimated the cost at about $12 per acre for laying down and covering 

 the vines, but as the product is so much better it will pay for the laying 

 of them down. Going back to the matter of pruning, it would be advis- 

 able, in fact it is the only way you can go at it, to trim the vines and 

 then lay them down. 



President: If there is nothing else w'e will now hear from Mr. J. R. 

 Duncan, on the subject of "The Plum." 



PLUMS. 

 J. R. Duncan, Peru. 



Plum culture in Nebraska has almost become a by-word among fruit 

 growers. Why? Several things have caused this lack of interest, but 

 the curculio and fruit-rot were the worst offenders, these enemies being 

 so serious that many growers gave up in disgust. Some kinds of plums 

 are more susceptible than others, so that selection of varieties gives us 

 encouragement to continue to grow plums. Professor Waugh says there 

 are some 300 varieties of plums listed by American nurserymen. These 

 are divided into several different groups. Briefly they are as follows: 



Domestics or Europeans, comprising the prune of commerce. Green 

 Gages, Damsons, Lombard, and other large red, and yellow sorts. The 

 plums of this group are very fine flavored, usually large and showy, rather 

 long and pointed, trees vigorous, upright growers. 



The Japanese group, first imported into this country about 1870, have 

 smooth bark, leaves somewhat longer, narrower and smoother than Do- 

 mesticas, fruit shorter and more round. Fmit is borne on new growth 

 as well as on fruit spurs. Colors ranging towards cherry reds and yel- 

 lows. Flavor not so good as the Domesticas. The plums of this group 

 are adapting themselves to a large part of the United States. 



Americanas — Native wild plums of northern United States. 



Hortulana — Trees more open and more willowy growth than the 

 Americanas. Fruits somewhat astringent and thinner skinned than Amer- 

 icanas. 



Chicasa — Native wild plums of the southern states, and only a few 

 varieties that succeed this far north. More resistant to rot than other 

 southern grown sorts. Thought to be a hybrid of Americana; and Hor- 

 tulana groups. 



