THE PLDM. 105 



ready to bear, the soil around, to the spread of the 

 branches, should be thrown into a hard texture, 

 of the consistency of a gravel walk. A pig or 

 poultry yard, with a hard pan, is a fine position 

 for a plum nursery. The advantages are, a more 

 stinted, and, consequently, a less exuberant 

 growth of the branches, a greater supply to the 

 fruit, and a prevention, in some degree, from the 

 attack of the curculio, as that insect, not meeting 

 with a proper soil to deposite its eggs, will take 

 shelter elsewhere." 



Removing the soil from around these trees to 

 the extent of its branches, even to the laying 

 bare the top roots, and filling the whole with 

 fresh sea mud or salt sand, is found beneficial to 

 the production of its fruit. Many set their plum 

 trees too deep, particularly in rich soils, causing 

 them to produce strong watery shoots, growing so 

 late as to be imperfectly ripened. " They re- 

 quire," says Kennedy, " like all other stone fruit, 

 to be planted on a dry sub-soil ; in such situations 

 they bear high-flavored fruit in great quantities. 

 They are not so large as when planted in strong 

 earth ; but the quality and richness of the flavor 

 make amends for that deficiency." M'Intosh 

 observes, " that in planting this tree the tap-roots 

 should be shortened, and the others spread out in 

 a regular manner near the surface, so that they 

 may enjoy the warmth of the sun, heat, and air, 

 which is necessary for the welfare of all fruit- 

 bearing trees. If planted in too rich a soil, they 

 become so luxuriant in growth, as to require im- 

 moderate pruning to keep them within due 

 bounds ; and excessive pruning, in such cases, 

 only tends to aggravate the evil." 



