CENTRAL TRIAL STATION. 47 
trunk not having been injured by winter, it is able to greatly assist the rest 
of the tree in overcoming any injurious effect of the severe weather. In our 
experience with these boxes on the trees, which has been for some six or 
seven years, we have generally filled them with soil and kept them filled the 
year round. This has not apparently resulted in any injury to the tree. In 
a few cases small roots have been sent out by the trees in the earth in the 
boxes, but on the whole there has been very little of this. I am of the 
opinion that this treatment of the apple tree is especially well adapted to 
the requirements of the small orchardist for those in severe locations. It 
should be generally understood by our people that a dozen apple trees well 
planted and well cared for will produce more fruit and be far more satis- 
factory than a large number of trees set out in the ordinary, neglectful way. 
PORTION OF ORCHARD A, IN NOVEMBER; LAND NEWLY PLOWED; TREES 
“BANKED’’ AND CORNSTALKS ON TREES TO PREVENT ‘‘ SUNSCALD.”’ 
PLUMS.—Our plums have been grown for a number of years next to 
our nursery stock in the old nursery. They have grown so strongly that 
they are now in pretty full possession of some portions of this nursery, and 
will soon have the land entirely to themselves. A new plum orchard has 
been started on the gravelly ridge near Orchard B. This orchard it is in- 
tended shall be extended the coming year, and made to include all our 
varieties of special promise. We have in cultivation now about 90 varieties 
of plums, most of which are of native parentage. While we have tried a large 
number of the European plums, we have not found a single variety that is 
adapted to our conditions. Some of the Russian sorts, the Moldavka and 
Early Red, for instance, have held on with us, seeming to be sufficiently hardy 
for our conditions; but the small amount of fruit that they have produced, 
and their tendency to become infested with black knot and the curculio, 
make them of very little value for us, and thus far we have found no variety 
among them that it is worth while to recommend for planting. Among the 
