318 THE FRUIT PLANTATION 



introduced, among them being Wild Goose, Clinton, 

 Moreman, Miner, and Golden Beauty. And still farther 

 south, Transparent, Paris Belle, Newman, Lone Star, and 

 El Paso are grown. 



INSECTS AND DISEASES OF THE PLUM. Plum trees are 

 attacked by a number of dangerous diseases and insects, 

 and to be grown successfully, these require careful atten- 

 tion. The most troublesome disease is the " black-knot", 

 which causes swellings upon the trunks and branches. 

 If allowed to spread it will quickly be fatal to the 

 orchard. All diseased branches should at once be re- 

 moved, cutting a foot or so below the knot. The spread 

 of the disease can, to a large extent, be prevented by 

 spraying the trees occasionally during the season with 

 Bordeaux mixture, but to be effectual, the spraying and 

 cutting out of the knots must be done promptly upon the 

 first appearance of the disease. 



Plum trees are also much injured by the " shot -hole 

 fungus", which causes the leaves to drop, but it also can 

 be prevented by the use of fungicides. 



Brown -rot of the fruit is also very troublesome in 

 warm, moist seasons; although less effective than with 

 other diseases, the fungicides will largely prevent its 

 spread. 



The fruit is also frequently destroyed by the plum cur- 

 culio, an insect which deposits its egg beneath the skin of 

 the fruit. The larva, on hatching, eats its way in to the 

 pit, causing the fruit to drop from the tree. Thorough 

 and persistent spraying with arsenites will sometimes save 

 the crop, but many growers prefer to jar the trees early 

 in the morning, and catch the curculios upon sheets spread 

 for the purpose. 



Plum trees, as well as most of our other fruits, are also 

 subject to the attack of the San Jos6 scale and other scale 

 insects. If very numerous, they will greatly injure and 

 even destroy the trees. The San Jose" scale, in particular, 



