^ Q^^(?tior) i)pa(jocp. ^ 



Propag-ating" the Plum. 



§40. Sir, — Would you describe the propagation of the plum, budding, etc., and 

 say whether it will do to bud upon suckers which grow from the roots ? 



D. N. Anderson, Wyoming. 



Plums are usually budded upon seedlings of some free growing variety. 

 The pits should be sown in the fall soon after the plums are harvested and 

 before the pits have had time to become very dry. They are sown in drills 

 about an inch and a half deep, much the same way that peas are sown. The 

 frost of the winter will crack the pits and in the spring they will begin to grow. 

 When the seedlings are one year old they may be transplanted into nursery 

 rows and set from four to six inches apart. Early in July following they will be fit 



for budding. As the bark 

 of the plum is somewhat 

 more difificult to work than 

 the peach, it is necessary 

 for the budder to watch 

 the growth in order to seize 

 the most favorable time for 

 before the bark becomes dry and as soon i^^^j 

 as possible after the young buds are sufficiently ma ] | I 

 tured atthe axils of the leaves. Sticks of buds of the Fig. 966. 

 variety desired are cut and the leaves trimmed off, leaving the 

 petioles about half an inch long for handles. Buds are then cut and 

 inserted in the same way as has been previously described for 

 budding peaches. Fig. 965 shows the manner of cutting the bud 

 to be inserted, and 966 shows the manner of slitting the bark, inserting the bud, 

 and tying it with raffia, or basswood bark. Success might possibly be had in 

 budding on sprouts from old trees, although in transplanting they might not be 

 so sure to survive as the seedlings, the roots being poorly formed. 



Fig. 965. 



How to Apply Nitrate of Soda and Bone Meal. 



841. Sir, — I have been using bone meal and nitrate of soda as advised by writers on 

 lettuce culture. I used soil that had been frozen solid. On a bed 100 ft. square I put two 

 pounds of bone meal. I have cut this day, April 20th, first class Golden Queen Cabbage 

 lettuce and Spendlow's Double Curled lettuce. I put two pounds of nitrate of soda on 100 

 square feet of land planted with the same varieties, and the result is that they are not 

 nearly ready, and there is no appearance of their ever maturing. Again, on 200 feet of 

 ground I put two pounds of soda and two pounds of bone meal, well mixed, and the 

 result was almost a total failure. Now what caused the failure ? Did the nitrate of soda 

 retard the growth or did tlie bone meal cause extra rapid growth. In the case of the bone 

 meal there was no failure whatever. In the case of the soda fully fifty per cent, of the 

 plants died out and had to be replaced. If the soda killed fifty per cent., why not all ? 



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