PLUMS AT THE SOUTH. 



celebrated with you to this climate. You will observe that several classed in j^our work 

 as best, here bear no comparison in flavor with some others regarded with you as not of 

 tlie highest quality. We buy new varieties with the probability that at least every other 

 one of those classed among the best, will be good for nothing. Still we know of several 

 kinds of high flavor, and the rest we can let alone now we have the experience desired. 



But our greatest obstacle in the culture of the plum, is its tendency, in common with 

 sevejal varieties of the peach, nectarine, and grape, to rot before maturing. In adrj' sea- 

 son, no matter how hot it may be, the fruit is not in much danger. But in a year like 

 this of warm, abundant and continual rain, the cultivator may expect to lose, in the case 

 of most varieties, from half to three-fourths of his crop, and of some it maj' be the whole 

 will decay. He can guard against this only by selecting the varieties least affected. 



A good stock for the plum is the Prunus chicasa or wild Chickasaw plum of the coun- 

 try, which I believe is common over all the south, and collar or root grafting on the same 

 is our usual mode of propagation. It sometimes throws up suckers, but they are easily 

 removed, and it is uniformly hardji'and health}', and as the grafts take kindly, it is perhaps 

 the best. It is a good stock for the garden for it dwarfs the tree, and, as in the case of 

 the pear on the quince, the point of junction should be beneath the surface. The wild 

 sloe, a small austere red plum, fit onl}' for preserving, is sometimes used, but the grafts 

 are sure to over grow it and perish for want of nourishment. 



It is proper to state, before proceeding to notices of varieties, that the times of ripening 

 below are for 1852, and will average two or three weeks earlier than usual, as I find by 

 comparing the times of the few set down last year. The abundant rains too this year, 

 may have so injured the flavor of some varieties, that full justice may not be done them. 

 They are described ia the order of ripening, and the dates given are when they begin to 

 mature. 



1. Chickasaw Plum. — Prunus chicasa — A tree or two of this plum should find a place 

 in every garden, of both the red and yellow varieties. The fruit is much enlarged b}' gar- 

 den culture — but the best varieties are later than the common ones — leaves lanceolate shape. 

 more like the peach than a plum — branches thorny. Fruit small, (size of Mirabelle in 

 your Fruits, or a little larger,) skin either bright red or yellow, somewhat translucent, — 

 flesh yellow, very juicy and sweet, but somewhat astringent about the stone, to which it 

 adheres. Ripe the 20th of May, and lasts nearly a month. From this will doubtless be 

 produced many excellent varieties by culture and crossing. I have met one variety nearly 

 a month later, marked with small yellowish dots, fruit almost the size of Prince's Yellow 

 Gage, and nearly free from astringency. Can species of fj'uit trees as nearly related as 

 this and the domestic plum, be crossed with each other Mr. Editor, with any prospect of 

 producing improved varieties? This plum is I believe free from curculio; perhaps the 

 fruit sets too early in the spring for him. It never fails of a crop with us. 



2. Sea or Early Purple? — Ripens the 8th of June, and is with us the earliest of cul- 

 tivated plums. Fruit — small roundish-; skin — brownish purple, (color of the Columbia,) 

 ■with a scanty light colored bloom. Flesh — greenish yellow, sweet, juicy, and parts freely 

 from the stone; highly perfumed. This nice little plum was, I believe, first introduced 

 here by some grafts received from Germany. Has now borne some three years. Matur- 

 ing so early, it is one of the most valuable. I do not find any description in the books 

 with which it coincides. It does not rot. 



3. Wilde's. — Fruit — size of Imperial Gage, oval oblong; skin, rather thick, yellow or 

 greenish yellow, with a white bloom. Flesh — yellowish green, pretty firm, dry, sweet, 

 and adheres to the stone. Tree a good bearer. In 1848 we considered this the best early 



