THE I.MPROVEMEXr OF OUR NATIVE PLUMS. 229 



The method of growing these seedHngs was briefly as follows : 

 Seeds from varieties like the DeSoto, Wyant, Quaker, Forest Gar- 

 den, Hammer, Hawkeye, Ocheeda, Suprise and others, were taken 

 in the fall, stratified and buried during the winter. They were 

 planted in the spring in rows four feet apart and one to three 

 inches apart in the row. The seed was covered to a depth of one- 

 fourth to one-half inch. To prevent drying or crusting the ground, 

 boards were placed over the seed until the seedlings reached the 

 top and were ready to unfold their leaves. The seedlings were 

 permitted to grow in the nursery row for one to two years, de- 

 pending upon the size attained, when they were planted out in the 

 trial orchard in rows eight feet apart and four feet apart in the 

 rows. In order t'o hasten the fruiting a large number were top- 

 grafted on their own stock. 



Professor GofT had the idea that in this limited space the trees 

 would develop sufficiently to show the character and quality of 

 the fruit, and save room, as the number of seedlings occupied 

 considerable area. They were allowed to fruit" a number of times 

 before the final selection was made. 



From this great number of seedlings it will be seen that the 

 per cent of really good varieties is exceedingly small, not one in 

 one thousand. Then, too, we have found that there is a great varia- 

 tion in the size and quality of the fruit from year to year. A 

 seedling one year will show a very superior fruit, while the follow- 

 ing season it may produce a crop of small and much inferior fruit, 

 so that one season's test is not sufficient to judge the value of the 

 seedlings. They should be fruited at least three or four years be- 

 fore final judgment is pronounced. We have also found tliat a 

 great mistake was made in planting the seedlings so close together. 

 They were not given the show that trees have in a permanently 

 planted orchard. They were also subject to disease, especially the 

 brown rot, due in a large measure to the closeness of planting. 

 Then, too, it was difficult to thoroughly cultivate the ground with 

 the trees so close together. We are now growing the seedlings 

 twelve feet apart each way, and we get' much better results. This 

 is in brief the method pursued at the Wisconsin Experiment Sta- 

 tion in growing seedlings. 



In reviewing the work done by Professor Goft and what has 

 been done within the last three years, I am of the opinion that there 

 is little encouragement for the production of really superior varie- 

 ties by this method. I have come to the conclusion, after much 

 study and observation, that our native plums come practically true 

 from seed. We can invariablv bv looking: at the fruit and the tree 



