60 THE PLUM IN KANSAS. 



GROWING PLUMS IN KANSAS. 



EXPERIENCE, CONCLUSIONS AND ADVICE FROM SIXTY-FOUR KANSAS 

 FRUIT-GROWERS. 



H. M. Rice, Muscotah, Atchison county. I have fifteen plnm trees in 

 bearing which have been planted four years ; they are Wild Goose, Pottawatomie, 

 and Blue Damson. Of these, the best bearer is Wild Goose. I have tried most 

 of the Japanese varieties and found them worthless. My soil is a sandy loam, 

 sloping to the south. Plant fifteen feet apart. Usually receive 81.50[ per bushel] 

 for the fruit. Have never grown, budded or grafted my own trees. If planting 

 all over again, I would set out the Wild Goose. Would plant in the chicken yard. 

 My neighbors do not grow plums. Do not consider them a good paying crop in 

 this locality. 



W. H. Tucker, Effingham, Atchison county. I have thirty plum trees 

 in bearing which have been planted from eight to fifteen years. There are fifteen 

 Wild Goose, six wild Kansas, five Abundance, and four of Shippers' Favorite- 

 The best bearer is the wild variety. Mj' land is a high prairie composed of black, 

 sandy loam. Have never grown, budded or grafted my own trees. My neighbors 

 grow but few plums. 



C. A. Blackniore, Sharon, Barber county. This is my seventh year in 

 Barber county. I have a plum orchard of about 400 trees; I have several va- 

 rieties of the Chickasaw type that bear heavily every year, and are of good size 

 and quality. Wild Goose is of but little value: it bears but little, and is sub- 

 ject to leaf rust and other diseases: I would not plant it. Forest Rose is a 

 good plum: tree hardy and a good bearer. Marianna is worthless. Damson, 

 Shropshire, Green Gage and German prune do well. German sometimes fall 

 off on account of curculio. Of the Japanese varieties, the Red June bore a 

 heavy crop last year: not a plum fell off; they are the size and shape of guinea 

 eggs; dark red in color: pit small. Wickson is a very rapid, upright grower: 

 it bloomed heavily last year, but all blossoms fell off. Abundance is a very 

 beautiful, upright tree, which promises to do well. Burbank is a rank, spread- 

 ing grower, and promises well here. Hale is a rapid grower, too young with 

 me to fruit. Gold is a hardy tree, and hung full of golden fruit last year; it 

 blooms very early : think thefrost will usually get it. Prunus shnonn, Satsuma, 

 Wolf, Shippers' Pride, Pond's Seedling, Kelsey and some others I have not yet 

 fruited. Weaver does not bear at all. Ohio Beauty, a September plum, does 

 well when the autumn is not dry. My soil is sandy and from three to ten feet 

 to the water. Blooming time of different varieties [in Barber county] : Gold, Red 

 June, and Satsuma, first blooms appear April 12: are in full bloom by the 1.5th, 

 and have fallen by the 2.3d. Wickson and Burbank, first blooms appear April 12: 

 in full bloom by the 16th, and have fallen by the 2.3d. Chickasaw, first blooms 

 appear April 14; in full blossom by the 18th, and have fallen by the 27th. Poole's 

 Pride, first blooms appear April 15: is in full blossom by the 18th, and have fallen 

 by the 26th. Wild Goose, first blooms appear April 15; is in full blossom by the 

 20th, and have fallen by the 25th. Ohio Beauty, first blooms appear April 20; is 

 in full bloom by the 27th, and have fallen by the 30th. German, first blooms ap- 

 pear April 22: is in full bloom by the 27th, and have fallen by the .30th. Damson, 

 first blossoms appear April 22 ; full bloom by the 28th, and have fallen by the 30th. 



