' THE PLUM IN KANSAS. 75 



the Burbank does best for me. My surface soil is a black loam, part with red 

 clay subsoil and part with hard, wet subsoil, sloping in all directions. Plant 

 ten and twenty feet. Gather in boxes and baskets and market in baskets and 

 berry boxes in the local towns, receiving from one to two dollars per bushel. 

 I have grown, budded and grafted my own trees. If planting over again, I 

 would put out Wild Goose, Lombard, Burbank, and Damson. My neighbors 

 are growing the same varieties as I. Do not consider it a good paying fruit 

 in this locality. Plums should be planted in the chicken yard, or the curculio 

 will take the crop every year. 



V. E. Hathaway, Council Grove, Morris county. I have tried the Abun- 

 dance, Satsuma and Botan plums, none of which are doing well. My soil is a 

 black bottom, about level. I plant fifteen feet apart. The price is so small they 

 do not pay. Have tried a good many varieties, and found but one that paid. If 

 planting over, I would put out the Wild Goose. My neighbors grow plums in a 

 small way. They are not a paying crop in this locality. 



F.'B. Harris, White City, Morris county. I have fifty plum trees in bear- 

 ing, planted twelve years. They are Washington and Jefferson. The Washing- 

 ton is the best bearer. My soil is a high, level prairie. I plant twenty feet 

 apart. Gather the fruit by hand, and market by the peck or bushel, at Hering- 

 ton, usually receiving two dollars per bushel for them. I have tried wild plums, 

 but find them poor. If I had it to do over again, I would plant Washington 

 and Marianna. My neighbors grow but few plums. I do not consider them a good 

 paying crop on account of the curculio. 



C. D. Martintlale, Scranton, Osage county. I have thirty plum trees in 

 bearing, planted five years ago; they are Wild Goose, Marianna, and Abundance. 

 Of these, the Wild Goose is the best bearer; the Marianna is full this year, Abun- 

 dance is fairly full. My soil is black loam, with about one foot of gravel, then 

 yellow paint clay and gravel, sloping toward the east. I plant fifteen feet apart. 

 I gather them before quite ripe, and market in grape baskets; sell at Scranton, 

 receiving, usually, two dollars per bushel. I have tried several wild varieties and 

 found them excellent; have an early and a late variety that I got out of the tim- 

 ber and find they improve the grafted sorts. Have never grown, budded or 

 grafted my own trees. If just beginning, I would plant the Wild Goose, Abun- 

 dance, and some good wild sorts among them, perhaps every fifth or sixth tree. 

 My neighbors grow plums, but not enough for their own use. I do not consider 

 them a good paying crop in this locality. 



Howard Moi'toii, Tescott, Ottawa county. I have no plum trees in bear- 

 ing. I had thirteen Weaver planted in a circle with one in the center, close to- 

 gether, about eight feet apart; on a light soil, sloping towards the north; for 

 several years they bore abundantly. I would recommend our native varieties 

 with a few Japanese mixed in; I consider them a good paying crop in this local- 

 ity, with proper care. My neighbors are growing Wild Goose. 



F. T. M. Diitcher, Phillipsburg, Phillips county. I have twelve plum 

 trees in bearing, planted from two to six years; they are Wild Goose, Burbank, 

 and German Prune. Of these, the Wild Goose is the best bearer. My soil is a 

 sandy loam which is nearly level; I plant sixteen feet apart ; gather them when 

 ripe ; market at home. Have never tried any wild varieties. Have never grown, 

 budded or grafted my own trees. My neighbors do not grow plums ; I do not 

 consider them a good paying crop in this locality. 



