HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Ill 



DISCUSSION ON PLUMS. 



Mr. Barret. I have been a good deal interested in regard to 

 this subject of raising plums. In the locality where I live, on 

 the western borders of the state, where farmers are poor and 

 struggling hard for a living, they depend almost exclusively on 

 the wild plum as a fruit. A few are able to buy apples. But 

 very many persons go to the shores of the river and gather large 

 quantities of plums, can them and use them in various ways and 

 thus manage to economize during the entire winter. 



About a year ago I thought I would inspect the territory 

 where I lived in reference to the best qualities of wild plums, 

 and was not a little surprised at some things I discovered. I 

 visited the shores of Lake Traverse, also passed along the banks 

 of the Minnesota river, which flows through the coteaus not far 

 from Brown's Valley. I was surprised at the number of excel- 

 lent specimens I found at different localities; one in particular 

 struck me very forcibly. It appeared to me that the character 

 of the soil had much to do with the quality of the fruit. 



In one locality I inspected, the water gushed out from under 

 a shelf of rock, or bluff, and appeared to be mixed with hydro- 

 gen and soda, which was very nauseating to the smell; one would 

 imagine it to be from a sewer. In fact the atmosphere was very 

 much like the atmosphere of a sewer, I found there an inferior 

 plum, which had a crisp, somewhat bitter and forbidding, taste. 

 I passed further on and came to higher ground where the soil was 

 excellent, and there I found a variety of wild plum which was 

 of excellent quality. I was so highly pleased with the variety 

 that I afterwards transplanted some of them to my garden. I 

 found they were a superior plum. I therefore conclude the soil 

 has much to do with the quality of fruit produced. I think we 

 may take a plum that is considered below par, put it in good 

 soil, cultivate it and it will be greatly improved. 



I transi^lanted from the shores of the Minnesota quite a large 

 plum tree, perhaps three inches in diameter, and succeeded in 

 making it grow in my garden. I was told by those familiar with 

 the fruit that it grew as large as an ordinary peach, and that the 

 flavor and quality of the fruit was excellent. Mrs. Buchanan, 

 a lady very tasty in domestic matters, informs me that she peels 

 and cans them in the same manner as she does peaches. I ex- 

 pect it will prove to be a very superior plum, and if so I shall 

 be very glad to report the fact. 



