45 é 
think anyone making a test would do well to plant it. Then there is the Field, which 
ripens a little ahead of the Niagara, and is like it in sizo and appearance, except that it 
is a little darker in color. It is a very desirable new sort, and had its origin in Scoharie 
county, N. Y. Then we have the Grand Duke, one of the latest introductions from 
England, originated by Mr. Rivers, which promises to be the best late plum of dark 
color that I know of for market. We had the fruit this year for the first time for 
market, and it brought a dollar a basket in eight pound baskets. Mr. Rivers brought 
out three plums, the Grand Duke, the Archduke and the Monarch, which in my opinion 
are going to make their mark in this country. Anyone who saw the exhibition of 
fruit at Buffalo this fall might have seen the Monarch. It is one of the lirgest of 
plums, and bids fair to be very hardy ; the tree holds its foliage very well and is very 
productive. Then there is one of the Japan plums called the Botan. 
President Lyon.—Are not there several varieties of that name? 
Mr. Wiitarp.—Yes, there are, That is a sort of general term for a number of 
those plums sent out from Japan, but having received this one under the name of 
Botan we raised it as such; we have another under the head of Botan which is a little 
different. This summer I obtained two others called the Sweet Botan and Burbank’s 
Japan. I had enough to market this year of Ogan, but I saw they were not going to 
take, and that was sufficient for me. 
A Memper.—What do you think of Basset’s American ? 
Mr. Wittarp.—I don’t thing it is worth enough powder to blow it over the fence. 
A Memper.—What about Munro’s Seedling ? 
Mr. Wittarp.—It is tender with me ; we never grew a plum so tender in the nursery 
row as the Munro. 
A Memper.—Have you planted Prunus Simoni ? 
Mr. Witiarp.—Yes. It may be hardy and sufiiciently productive, and will be sold 
at fruit stands even if it is not of the first quality. They want it in the cities, though it 
‘as not strictly first-class. 
THREE BEST PLUMS FOR HOME USE. 
Mr. Wittarp.—I see there is another question : ‘‘ What are the three best plums 
for home use, early, medium and late? Quality, productiveness and hardiness of tree 
tree alone to be considered ; soil, light sand?” I think I should take the Bradshaw for 
the first, then Peter’s Yellow Gage and the Stanton Seedling as my choice. 
A MempBer.—Does not the Lombard do well on light soil ? 
Mr. Wittarpv.—Yes, I have seen it do remarkably well. 
A Memper.—In our neighborhood they have adopted what they call the French 
stock, which does not sucker as much as the standard stock. 
Mr. Wititarp.—We use French sometimes because we cannot get any other, but if 
I were selecting an orchard I would prefer, if possible, to have them worked on the 
horse plum stock of western New York. But they will all sucker bad enough if you cut 
the roots; you can plow them to death a good deal easier than kill them any 
_ other way. 1 would advise people who have plums to do their work with cultivators. 
Mr. Dempsey.—Did you ever try any of Rivers Damsons ! 
Mr. Witiarp.—Yes, I have the whole list of them now; they are succeeding 
first rate. 
A Memper.—How far apart do you plant them ! 
Mr. WitLtarp.—Our plan originally was 16 feet each way, but now we get our 
rows 16 feet apart and ten feet in the row; you can handle them better, but it wants 
high culture. I would not advise anyone to do it unless he has the manure. 
A Memper.—Do you spray your trees for curculio ? 
