WICKSON PLUM. 



Fig. 1272.— Wickson Plum 



AN Y favorable comments 

 on this new Japan plum were 

 made at our meeting the 

 other day in Waterloo, and 

 since we are sending out this variety to 

 our members next spring we are glad to 

 give place to the following remarks by 

 Prof. Beach, in American Agriculturist : 

 " Wickson the new Japanese cross- 

 bred plum, which was originated by 

 Luther Burbank, California, and first 

 fruited by him about 1893, has been 

 successfully fruited in New York, and is 

 attracting the favorable attention of 

 nurserymen and fruit growers. Some of 



the features which recommend it for 

 testing by those who are interested in 

 plum culture are its extremely large size, 

 fine flavor, good quality and attractive 

 color. Even when picked rather green 

 it colors and ripens well. The skin is 

 thick and uniformly colored with red 

 shaded with reddish purple. It was 

 produced by crossing Kelsey with Bur- 

 bank. Like Burbank, it is a cling, 

 with amber yellow flesh, juicy, yet so 

 firm that it keeps and ships well. This 

 fruit was borne the past season on 

 grafts which were set three years ago and 

 reached a diameter of 2^ inches. It 

 bears the largest fruit of any Japanese 

 plum which has yet been introduced 

 that is hardy in New York. At the 

 Geneva, N. Y., experiment station, grafts 

 which were set in 1895 survived the ex- 

 ceptionally trying winter of 1895-6 and 

 fruited in 1897. 



The Wickson makes a good nursery 

 tree, being a vigorous upright grower, 

 with rather narrow leaves, the edges of 

 which have a tendency to turn inward, 

 so that the tree reminds one of Prunus 

 Simoni. Taking all things into con- 

 sideration, it is not surprising that nur- 

 serymen are increasing their stock of this 

 variety." 



WATERING. 



N watering plants in rooms, discretion 

 must be used. Cactuses, Cereuses 

 i and, in fact, all the so-called succu- 

 lents, need but little water in winter, 

 simply enough to keep them growing. 

 Callas, and all that class of aquatic 

 and semi-aquatic plants will bear water- 

 ing to saturation. As a rule, smooth- 

 leaved and hard plants require less 

 watering than pubescent, and soft-leaved 

 plants. Many small pots require water 



every day, sometimes twice ; they dry 

 out so fast unless plunged in some 

 moist material. The dfficulty with ama- 

 teurs is they generally give small pots 

 too little water, and large pots too much. 

 Until the true habit and necessities of a 

 plant are learned, it is better that it dry 

 sufficiently to droop a little, rather than 

 the soil be kept saturated. Over satura- 

 tion kills more plants than too much 

 moisture. — Floral Instructor. 



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