76 THE PLUM IN KANSAS. 



John Hinds, Olcott, Reno county. The plum doing best for me is the 

 Miner. My soil is a black, sandy loam, with an eastern slope. I plant twelve 

 feet apart. Gather them the last of August. Sell at home at one dollar per 

 bushel. Have grown, budded and grafted my own trees. 



F. A. Smith, Belleville, Republic county. I have fifty plum trees in 

 bearing, planted from eight to ten years. They are Forest Rose, Marianna, 

 Weaver, and a wild plum from Mitchell county. Of these, the Marianna, Weaver 

 and the wild variety are the best bearers. My soil is a limestone ridge, sloping 

 northwest. I plant the trees eight feet apart. I sell at Belleville, Cuba, and 

 Narka, receiving from fifty cents to one dollar per bushel for them — usually 

 one dollar. I have tried a wild variety, and find it an excellent, free bearer, 

 vigorous, hardy; fruit medium and of good quality. Have never grown, budded 

 or grafted my own trees. My neighbors grow but few plums, mostly for home 

 use. I consider them a good paying crop in this vicinity. 



H. C. Hodgson, Little River, Rice county. I have eight plum trees in 

 bearing, planted twelve years. They are the Wild Goose and Miner. The Wild 

 Goose is the best bearer. Of the Japanese varieties, I have Abundance, Bur- 

 bank, Willard, and Wickson: cannot say which is best, as they have not com- 

 menced to bear; they blossomed this spring, but were killed by frost in 

 April. My soil is both upland and bottom. Plant ten feet apart. Have never 

 grown, budded or grafted my own trees. Neighbors do not grow many plums. 

 I do not consider them a good paying crop in this locality. 



T. C. Wells, Manhattan, Riley county. To raise good plums you need 

 good soil, deeply plowed, free from lumps and well drained, either naturally or 

 artificially. Plums may be divided into three general classes; the European or 

 Golden plum, the Japanese, and the American. It is generally thought that the 

 European plum does best on a clay loam, while the American varieties succeed 

 better on a more sandy soil, but, from 'my experience, I have learned that plums 

 of each class will thrive in the common black limestone soil of our Kansas 

 prairies. In getting trees for planting, get those with a single main stem; avoid 

 those with forks, as, when loaded with fruit, they are almost sure to split down 

 in heavy winds and be ruined. Get thrifty, stocky trees, with low heads, not 

 more than two or three feet high. On such trees the fruit is more easily gath- 

 ered and they are in less danger of injury from winds. Plant deep, especially if 

 grafted on peach roots. About sixteen feet apart each way is a good distance. 

 Keep the soil loose and free from weeds, cultivating as deeply as you can without 

 injury to the roots. Keep down all sprouts. Many varieties are not self-fertiliz- 

 ing ; therefore different varieties blooming at the same time should be planted 

 near each other. Prune but little, except to shape the tree at first, and after- 

 ward to remove dead or interfering branches. 



If black knot appears, cut it out and burn it, covering the wound with thick 

 paint. For other diseases, such as leaf rust, shot-hole fungus, and fruit rot, I 

 know of nothing better than thorough spraying with Bordeaux mixture, though 

 this is not always entirely successful. I would spray before the buds swell in 

 spring, again after the blossoms fall, and again still later in the season, if there are 

 any signs of fungus disease. For fruit rot, it is best, besides spraying, to thin the 

 fruit so that no two plums touch each other when full grown. This is important. 

 Thinning should also be practiced on varieties that do not rot, when they set very 

 full; pick off half or two-thirds of the fruit when half grown. What is left will 

 be larger and better flavored, and worth more in the market, and the trees will 

 live longer. For curculio and gouger, the surest way is to jar the trees early in 



