MERSORA STATE HORTICULTURAL ii. 185 
ally; should be able to stand total neglect, sil should ane a large crop of 
_ the best fruit the same season it is set out, which will ripen enqdeinila until 
cold weather, and keep until it is ripe the next summer. y 
This seems to be the popular idea, and about what is expected in trees, 
&c., bought of our nurserymen. As it is difficult to fill the bill with any one | 
variety now in existence, let those who are experimenting for new varieties 
bear the above standard in mind. 
” Hurriedly yours, 
oe T. G. CARTER. 
DISCUSSION. 
Tar. 7 
Mr. Grimes. Iconsider that as an able and truthful report. 
Tar may be good to keep out the wet and to protect from decay, 
but I should be afraid to apply it to green parts of plants. Paint 
will do just as well for those purposes. The German Prune is no 
hardier than some of the cultivated plums. The Miner while 
young kills back, but later it becomes hardy. The fruit keeps 
excellently, and on the whole it is a very good variety. 
Mr. Pearce. J would like to know if tar is injurious. I have 
used pine tar, and no harm was done. 
Mr. Grimes. Ido not know that tar would do any harm, but 
some substances will injure. Lard is an illustration. It fills the 
pores and prevents transpiration. 
My. Dart. I knew a man to kill 30 or 40 trees by binding with 
pork rinds. 
Mr. Jewell. I have tried pine tar on 75 trees. I saturated 
cloth, wrapped it around them, and left it on for a month without 
injury. Anything, however, which closes the pores will prove 
injurious. I have tried the cultivated Plum, German Prune and 
the Miner. Some years ago I planted and sold especially of the 
German Prune. I know of none of them that are alive now. 
None survived the winter of 1872-73. Ihave the Miner. It was 
tender while young, became hardier when older, but bore none 
until lately. Last year I had about 100 on twelve to fifteen trees. 
I got some more trees later, however, which fruited younger. 
Trunk Injury. 
Mr. Pearce. It isa common complaint that a tree is injured 
on the south side. Frequently this extends only through the outer 
bark and does not injure the inner bark at all. 
