A LIST OF SELECT SHRUBS. 



473 



found upon several, some six or eight large 

 knots or warts, on each tree, and quite a 

 number of smaller ones just beginning to 

 burst the bark, or develop themselves, es- 

 pecially upon the young trees. I carefully 

 examined the soil, which I found to be new 

 or fresh, (not a worn out soil,) and of good 

 loamy quality. I also ascertained that the 

 trees which grew in the old orchard were 

 all of them more or less affected with the 

 kvjot or loart, some of which extended, in 

 unsightly excrescences, over a surface of 

 from eight inches in length to a foot, upon 

 the limbs or twigs, and the result was, as 

 might have been anticipated, (and was also 

 the case with the young orchard,) an entire 

 non-production of fruit, or none except of 

 small, inferior quality. I recommended 

 breaking up the soil around the roots of the 

 young trees, to a good depth and considera- 

 ble extent, late in the fall of the year ; and, 

 in the spring following, the application of 

 two pails full, by measure, of the liquid 

 drainage of the cespool, or " sinkspout," 

 added to one-half bushel of good new loam, 

 to which composition I added three pints of 

 common salt, intimately mixing the whole 

 together. This was then spread around the 

 roots of each tree, care being taken not to let 

 any of this composition lay upon the bare 

 roots or bark of the tree, but spreading it 

 equally around the tree in a circle of about 

 two feet diameter. I also recommended 

 the removal of all the knots or warts from 

 the tree, with a sharp knife, paring the ex- 



crescences smoothly down to the natural di- 

 mensions of the limb. This pruning opera- 

 tion is to be performed in the spring, as 

 early after the first flow of the sap as prac- 

 ticable. The application of the salt, &c. 

 may be made either in the spring (in March) 

 or the fall, as convenient ; but the best time 

 is in March, or at farchest not later than the 

 middle of April. 



The result of the first application, as an 

 experiment, was about a middling crop of 

 plums the ensuing season, and no appear- 

 ance of the k7wt or wart, or premature drop- 

 ping of the fruit.* The same mode of cul- 

 ture was again applied the season ensu- 

 ing, with a much better result, the trees 

 not only growing very rapidly (thus proving 

 the fertilizing qualities of the salt, &c.) but 

 yielding a good crop of fruit, of an increased 

 size, and fine flavor. 



The above method of culture I have ap- 

 plied to my own plum trees, and to other 

 Plum Nurseries of which I have had the 

 care, and with the most satisfactory result. 

 I am favorably impressed with this method 

 of plum culture, and the salt alone may be 

 used in small quantities, in the winter sea- 

 son, at several applications, without the 

 liquid drainage of the sink, if the trees 

 stand in good soil, with very good results. 

 And the fortunate possessor of a garden of 

 choice plum trees, by following the above 

 suggestions, need not fear the " black knot 



OR WART." L. WyMAN, Jr. 



West Cambridge, Mass., March, 1947. 



SOME SELECT LISTS OF ORNAMENTAL SHRUBS. 



As the planting season approaches, we are 

 warned by various hints and inquiries from 

 our correspondents, that " some information 

 relating to a choice of a few of the most 

 popular hardv shrubs, of easy culture, would 

 60 



be acceptable to numerous readers" — many 

 who are just beginning the improvement of 



* Tlie ktiots or tvarts, if smootlily cut off after the spring sap 

 has commenced flowing, will readily heal, and by the next 

 season present a healthy appearance. 



