74 THE PLUM IN KANSAS. 



unknown varieties. Of these, the best bearers are Wild Goose, Marianna, Potta- 

 watomie, Robinson, Weaver, Mito, Vanity, and both of the unknown varieties. 

 Of the Japanese varieties, I have tried Abundance, Burbank, Chabot, Kelsey, 

 Red June, Willard, Wickson, Satsuma, Beekman, and Normand. Those doing 

 best are Burbank, Abundance, Chabot, and Red June. The Kelseys were 

 killed by the cold winter of 1898-'99: the Beekman, Normand and Wickson were 

 frozen to the ground; the Satsuma never lives over one year. My soil is a 

 sandy loam, river bottom, sloping towards the southeast. I plant my trees in 

 rows from fifteen to twenty feet apart and fifteen feet in the row. Gather the 

 fruit by hand a few days before fully ripe, and market at home; in Beloit they 

 usually bring from $1.50 to 82.50 per bushel. Have tried one kind of wild plums ; 

 this spring I put out a few Sand plums sent me from the West; have grafted the 

 Weaver plum. If I had it to do all over again, I would plant the Wild Goose, 

 Pottawatomie, Marianna, the wild variety, and Abundance, Burbank, Chabot, 

 and Red June, in rows twenty feet apart and trees from sixteen to twenty feet 

 apart in the row. My neighbors grow but few plums. 



P. C. Bowmen, Cherryvale, Montgomery county. I have forty plum trees 

 in bearing, planted from six to ten years: they are Wild Goose exclusively. Have 

 tried several Japanese varieties, but they were a failure. Have also tried Blue 

 Damson, Yellow Egg, and German Prune, which bore a few light crops and then 

 died. Have discarded all except native varieties. My soil is a dark, sandy loam, 

 sloping to the north and west. Planted my trees from eight to fifteen feet apart. 

 Pick the fruit when partially ripe, in baskets, and sell by the peck, both at home 

 and in Cherryvale, receiving about one dollar per bushel. I find Wild Goose is 

 the only kind worth planting here. Have grown, budded and grafted my own 

 trees. I use Marianna stock and graft scions in the winter, and plant in nursery 

 rows in spring, cultivate, and set in orchard when one and two years old. Have 

 used peach stock, but Marianna is best. Would always propagate my own plum 

 trees for orchard setting. Some of my neighbors are growing plums. I consider 

 native varieties a good paying crop. 



J. C. Ko.s.s, Havana, Montgomery county. I have 400 plum trees in bear- 

 ing, planted eight years; they are Miner and Wild Goose; the Miner is the best 

 bearer. My soil is sandy, having a southern slope. Plant in the spring. Gather 

 in July; market in peach baskets, in town. Receive from one to two dollars per 

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

 grow plums. I consider them a paying crop. 



John E. Sample, Beman, Morris county. I have thirty plum trees in 

 bearing which have been planted ten years; they are Wild Goose and Marianna. 

 TheWild Goose I find is the best bearer. My soil is black loam, sloping to the south. 

 Planted my trees twenty feet apart. Use the fruit at home. I have tried several 

 wild varieties, but find them to be no good. Have grown, Vjudded and grafted 

 my own trees. If I had to do it all over again, I would set out Wild Goose and 

 German Prune ; would graft all stone fruits on seedling apricots so the graft would 

 be above ground; this would make them long-lived. Would graft in the winter 

 and grow in nursery. My neighbors are growing a few plums. I do not con- 

 sider them a good paying crop in this locality. 



James Sharp, Parkerville, Morris county. I have 300 plum trees in 

 bearing, planted ten years; they are Wild Goose, Lombard, Wolf, Pottawatomie, 

 Damson, Marianna, Abundance, Satsuma, Burbank, Wickson, Red June, German 

 Prune, Washington, Golden Beauty, Robinson, etc. Of Japanese varieties, I 

 have tried Satsuma, Burbank, Abundance, Wild Goose, Red June, and Wickson ; 



