PLUMS AND CHERRIES. 59 



this fruit as well as other kinds of fruit, and is raising- more fruit 

 than any other man in our section. Mr. Jos. Wood, of the same 

 place, has also taken premiums on some of his fruits; also H. Knud- 

 son, of Spring-field, H. J. Ludlow, of Worthington, and others. I 

 believe at the present tiine we have more lovers and good workers 

 favoring this fruit, and more interested in the cultivation of it than 

 heretofore. 



The experimental work at present, together with the work being 

 done by growers and lovers of this fruit, is surely progressing. 

 The plum is being cross-fertilized by some skillful hands with cer- 

 tain objects in view. Some are working for quality, color and form; 

 others for size, firmness, etc.; others again trying to originate free- 

 stone varieties, earliness, etc. It is believed that the time is not very 

 distant when we shall have the best race of plums in the world. Some 

 of these men engaged in the work are not disposed to give up until 

 their work is accomplished, and they have no doubt the very best 

 of material to work with in our native plum, Prunus Americana. It 

 is not known that a race equal to it was ever found in any part of 

 the old world. 



What has been said of this plum is more that can be said ot 

 the European or the Russian plums. There are but few of these 

 grown here. Chas. Luedloff of ^Carver is growing several of the 

 varieties and has been meeting with some success in raising some 

 of the fruit, and pronounces them good for eating and cooking. 

 Some are of large size and bear fair to good crops in favorable years. 

 Mr. A. Norby of Lake County, S. Dak., writes me that he has raised 

 some very fine fruit from a Russian plum called Early Red, which 

 is firm, meaty and of good quality, large and a good cooking plutn. 

 The nearest place here where any of the Russian plums are grow- 

 ing is at Windom, some by Jos. Wood and more by Dewain Cook. I 

 have not seen the fruits of these, but Mr. Cook writes me that he has 

 raised some of the fruit, which were of good size, also good in qual- 

 ity. Although the hardiness and productiveness of these trees are 

 not considered by any of these parties growing them above-named 

 to be assured, nor have the treee as yet been fully tested, some 

 among them inay be found that may do well with us. 



Our cultivated plums brought from two to three dollars per bushel 

 this last year, and at places even four dollars. The wild plums were 

 not as plenty, although in places where not destroyed by caterpil- 

 lars or rose beetles quite a crop could be gathered of the fruit. 

 The best of these in some years sell at one dollar and a half per 

 bushel. The cultivated plums so far are the most reliable to 

 plant for a crop of fruit; experience has taught that with the 

 right kind of treatment a crop is almost certain. 



We aim to get trees that are in a healthy condition, and in 

 planting them to set moderately deep and give plenty of room 

 for the roots to grow in well-worked soil. Cover the roots 

 with rich mellow earth and firm down well. I find that a heavy, 

 coarse mulching on top of this mellow earth — over the roots 

 in their holes, instead of on top of the ground — protects the 

 roots in winter; and by filling the holes up loosely on top with eai-th 

 the rain finds its way through into the inulch and is held there, so 



