354 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



did not sell only in small quantities. My experience has been 

 that if the late varieties are grown or the season for ripening can 

 be prolonged, a better price is received for the crop. Taking into 

 consideration the length of time that a currant bush will bear fruit 

 if well cared for, I think the culture of currants as profitable as that 

 of any other of the small fruits. 



WHY NOT HAVE A PLUM ORCHARD? 



F. W. KIMBALL, AUSTIN. 



While thousands in our climate have been disappointed in the 

 raising of apples, owing to various causes, chief among which has 

 been the putting out of improper varieties, not suited to this dry, 

 cold climate, and lack of care after being set, and the idea has be- 

 come almost dominant in some sections that apples cannot be raised^ 

 yet who ever heard any one say that plums could not be raised? 

 Why, every thicket of timber in the country in an early day, and 

 the back yards of most of the old settlers, would give the lie to such 

 an assertion; yet,thousands though livingon farms and many thous- 

 ands living in villages who could readily have it still lack that 

 one great luxury so easily attainable. 



Whoever has attended our state fair and given any attention to 

 the horticultural department could not have failed to notice the 

 large exhibit of selected wild plums, varying in size, color and taste, 

 but not a single one without excellency for some purpose and most 

 of them good for all uses to which a plum can be put, eating out of 

 hand, using fresh for the table, sauce, canning and preserving. I 

 presume it can be confidently said that there are more than fifty 

 varieties common to all who may desire, and some parties have 

 over one hundred named varieties. They vary in being free or 

 cling stone, early or late. Some have a skin that easily parts, thus 

 making them easy to prepare for the table when in season; some 

 large, extremely large, and some medium; some coming early in 

 season, and others late. With a few trees one can select to easily 

 have fresh plums for from six weeks to two months. Just think of 

 the delight of the children in daily running to the plum trees, to 

 say nothing of the solid comfort the older portion of the family take! 

 We eagerly buy peaches, yet we have plums that easily rival them 

 in everything except size, and can raise them with less exertion than 

 most any other fruit. Then think of the solid comfort the house- 

 wife feels in knowing that she can at any hour go into the orchard 

 and gather for canning or supper, and also of the solid comfort the 

 balance of the family take in eating them during the season when 

 green fruits are scarce or unobtainable. 



Now, if I have interested you into thinking of the plum, let me 

 advise you what to do, i. e. set down and immediately order from 

 some good, reliable nurseryman whom you know, or know is reli- 

 able at least, a baker's dozen, and if you have ground many more. 

 They will stand a good deal of crowding, and if your ground 

 is limited, yet you can manage to set a good many of those easily 

 obtainable. The Cheney, Gaylord, Forest Garden, Rockford, De Soto, 



