PLUMS AND CHERRIES. 299 



Mr. Murray: That does not agree with my experience at 

 all. Last spring I had to spray in order to save the whole 

 crop. In other years, I lost the whole crop by not spraying. 



Mr. Heideman: What was the cause of the general failure 

 of the plum crop last year? 



Mr. Murray: Well, the principal reason was that it was so 

 wet that the bees were prevented from fertilizing the flowers. 



Mr. Wedge: Since plum stocks have been mentioned, I will 

 say that I remember Mr. Heideman reporting last winter his 

 success in making the sand cherry grow with the native plum; 

 top working it, he said it made a good tree that was very fruit- 

 ful. This winter at the Iowa meeting I was shown a native 

 plum grown on the sand .cherry. The tree was of about ten 

 years growth, I should think, and the union was absolutely 

 perfect. 



Mr. Sampson: I would like to ask if there are any cher- 

 ries that are a practical success in ISIinnesota? 



Mr. Heideman: I mentioned five or six parties in my report 

 who are successfully raising cherries in Brow a county. I do 

 not mean they are raising cherries in large quantities, but they 

 are making a success of it in an experimental way. 



President Underwood: One of the members has suggested 

 to me that the birds eat a great deal of fruit, and I will say that 

 I heard of a plan a short ,time ago for the protection of trees 

 from the birds. It consisted of a number of yards of mosquito 

 natting sewed together and put over the tree, so that the birds 

 could not get at the fruit. It is said to be an inexpensive 

 operation. 



Mr. Cook: I think it would pay better to raise Russian mul- 

 berries to feed the birds on. 



Dr. Frisselle: It might be a good thing to protect grape 

 vines with. 



Mr. Wedge : I know of a protection that is very much cheaper 

 than that and equally efficient. It is an English bird netting 

 which costs but two cents a yard. It is very durable and will 

 last for many years. I think it might be a practicable thing. 



Mr. Terry : I remember very well, when I was a little boy 

 in the old country, that we were only able to get cherries to eat 

 by using that netting. It is a very good plan indeed. Those 

 nets can be kept for years and years. Now, I noticed that 

 most of you horticulturists are great enemies, or at least in- 

 different lovers, of the Russian mulberry. Some time I think 

 you will change your mind about that. If you have plenty of 



