298 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



PLUMS AND CHEKRIES. 



REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PLUMS AND CHERRIES. 



C. AY. H. HEIDEMAN, NEW ULM. 



The plum crop the past year was almost a complete failure; even In the 

 woods and thickets scarcely, a plum was found. In my report on fruit 

 blossoms, I shall attempt to account for the failure. First fruit of sev- 

 eral new varieties were secured by hand pollenization and protecting the 

 blossoms, but not in sufficient quantity to pass upon the merits of any. 

 The only plums exhibited at our county fair in September were unlcnown 

 varieties of prunus domestica, said to be seedlings, from seed brought 

 from Germany. 



Cherries, though not as generally planted, gave a good crop. Mr. C. 

 Knospe of New Ulm has about a dozen trees raised from seed brought 

 from Germany; they have fruited regularly for 6 or 7 years and appear to 

 be hardy and healthy; they certainly are productive and of good quality. 

 Mr. H. Knudson of Springfield is successfully growing Early Richmond, 

 Montmorency, English Morello, Ostheim and two or three varieties im- 

 ported from Denmark. The Danish cherries appear to be hardy and the 

 most profitable. Aug. Meyer of Garden Gate has several varieties of 

 cherries doing well. Clement Schmidt of Mulligan has quite an orchard 

 of seedling cherries and says they have never failed in bearing a crop. 

 The nomenclature of our cherries and plums is sadly mixed and a great 

 deal of confusion exists as to varieties. The writer has run across four 

 different Ostheim cherries and at least a dozen native plums under the 

 names of Egg, Yellow Egg and Peach. 



Here is an opportunity for the committee on nomenclature to straighten 

 out the confusion, and prepare for the coming flood of improved native 

 plums. 



DISCUSSION. 



Mr. Cook: What do you think of the Mariana as a plum 

 stock? 



Mr. Underwood: Our success has been very poor with it, 

 although it has been recommended very highly by certain 

 propagators. I do not think that the stocks were first class. 

 We generally use native stocks, if we can get them. The 

 Mariana is not as hardy as the native stocks. 



A Member: Do I understand that if you spray for the curcu- 

 lio that you can depend upon a crop of plums every year? 



Mr. Heideman: I have never had any experience in spray- 

 ing, for the simple reason that I do not think it is necessary. My 

 plum trees are so loaded that I do not need to. 



