siou, wire may be run into their holes, to dislodge them, and many may be de- 

 stroyed by dijrfrinp: away the soil from the collar of the tree in the fall, so that the 

 frost may be better able to enter the holes. Some have hud good success with the 

 lu.st plan.] 



FROST GAGE PLUM. 



BY WM, TOMPKINS, GERMANTOWN, NEW YORK. 



This Plum was introduced here about ten years ajjo. It came hifrhly recom- 

 mended by the very best authority, and was planted (juite extensively by the most 

 of our orchardists, and high expectations were entertained of it. Its knotting 

 propensity, however, soon l)ecame apparent; the knife was, during the growing 

 season, brought in almost daily requisition, but, in spite of all the vigilance we 

 were able to use, it was found impossible to keep it in a resi)ectable condition. 

 After several years' vainly combating the disease, the trees were mostly rooted 

 out, and, with a few exceptions, their cultivation abandoned. We do not wish to 

 censure those who Crst introduced this fruit, for it is well known to have once been, 

 in certain parts of the State of New York, very proiluctive and profitable, paying 

 better than any plum then in cultivation. 



But the question is often asked : Are there any orchards in a thriving and 

 profitable condition in its original locality, or elsewhere ? From what we have 

 seen and heard, we very much doubt if there are. Cannot some one of your 

 correspondents who has experience with it give us some information on this sub- 

 ject ? I would willingly make a journey of a couple of hundred miles, to see a 

 good-sized orchard of bearing trees in a healthy condition. If such an orchard 

 cannot be found in some of the numerous localities in which it has been sent, then, 

 in my humble opinion, this fruit ought not to be tolerated in any respectable 

 nurseryman's catalogue or grounds. 



True, there may be seen in the market immense quantities of plums that are sold 

 for the Frost Gage, but, on a close examination, seven-eighths of them will be 

 found to reseml)le it, but are inferior in quality. 



It is with much pleasure I learn that the American Pomological Society has 

 removed the Frost Gage Plum from the list for "general cultivation;" but I 

 should have been more pleased had they put it on the " rejected list;" had it been 

 put there some six years ago, a vast deal of time and money w'ould have been 

 saved by the fruit growers of this locality. It is a fact that cannot longer be 

 concealed, that the Frost Gage, which hitherto stood unrivalled as a market plum 

 on account of its productiveness and ready sale at a high price, has become so 

 much subject to the "knots" as to make it a nuisance to every good gardener or 

 orchardist. The inexperienced planter, in looking over catalogues of fruit-trees, 

 is too often induced to select those varieties that are noted for their high price in 

 the market, without being aware of the many drawbacks incident to their culture. 

 Thus the Frost Gage is highly extolled, in some catalogues, as an " exceedingly 

 productive and valuable market variety," and thousands of trees have been ordered 

 and planted by " beginners" from which not a dollar ever has or will be realized ; 

 instead of being laden every fall with a crop of " delicious plums," the poor 

 planter, to his no small mortification, finds nothing but "knots," and is therel)y 

 discouraged, and frequently makes no further efforts at raising the plum. Whereas, 

 had he been "posted up" as to the plain and simple truth, he would not have 

 ordered a single tree of the above-named plum, but some others that are known 

 to be reliable and fruit growing; instead of being checked and injured on the 

 start, would receive an impetus that would not only encourage "beginners 

 induce others to engage in it also. 



