48 
FRUIT THE NATIVE PLUMS 
everywhere in abundance. How? Simply by planting several va- 
rieties near together or commingled, or by grafting or budding barren 
trees with one or more different varieties as above explained. Plant- 
ing the different varieties near together is most practical, and easily 
done by selecting such two (or more) varieties as will pollenize each 
other, and planting them alternately in rows 4 to 6 feet apart, the rows 
running in the direction of the prevailing winds at the blooming time 
of the plum. If we do not know what varieties will pollenize each other, 
we will be safe if we plant several varieties in close proximity, so as to 
have the so-called species alternate in the rows. The rows may be 15 
to 30 feet apart. 
We now take up the 
PLUM CURCULIO (Conotrachelus nenuphar) 
understandingly. But why need I add one more word about it, for the 
proof is absolute here, and I have the same complete proof from nearly 
every State and Territory, that it has no effect on the fruiting of the 
great majority of our native plums whatever. If their flowers are 
pollenized they give regular crops of valuable fruit as avy fruit in any 
climate, with no material damage to the fruit, except rarely to a few 
varieties, by this pest. In fact, I will here put it on record: I believe 
that after carefully investigating the subject throughout three seasons, 
that what effect this curculio has on these fruits tends to benefit the 
tree and fruit rather than injure, for, where these plums are fully pollen- 
ized their tendency is to overbear—to set more fruit than they can or 
should bring to maturity. The most material injury to this fruit by the | 
curculio is that the cuts through the skin of the young fruit, made by 
her when laying her eggs, sometimes forms a nidus (breeding place) for 
‘“‘fruit-rot.”. The varieties will be affected by this very differently in 
different locations and climates, but this rot does not, as is the case 
with some other fruits, so far as is known prevent our securing full 
crops of some varieties everywhere. (Curiously the evidence is that P. 
chickasa is more subject to rot South than P. americana, and vice versa. 
But my observations here prove that this “fruit-rot” in the native 
plums more often finds a nidus or origin in the minute punctures of leaf . 
lice (Aphidide) and plant bugs (Hemiptera). The most injurious of the 
bugs to the fruit of our native plums, and perhaps the most injurious in- 
sect of North America, is the now notorious tarnished plant bug (Capsus 
oblineatus, Say.). This pernicious bug is abundant nearly everywhere, 
is an omnivorous feeder, and not only depletes trees and plants of their 
juices, but the puncture of its beak is very poisonous to them, causing 
many young fruits to drop soon after being punctured, on others leav- 
ing wounds for the entrance of the spores of the sporadic diseases or 
“rots.” Therefore it will not do to give the plum curculio credit as the 
