FRUITS. 259 



rich and deep ; but on these, it demands more careful culti- 

 vation, It seldom requires much pruning. Care must be 

 used with this as with all other fruit trees, to give it an open 

 head and to keep the limbs from crossing and chafing each 

 other. The varieties most in use are the Common Red, 

 Kentish or Pie Cherry, almost universally cultivated, the 

 English Mayduke, Black Tartarian (Graffion or Yellow 

 Spanish,) the largt Red Bigarreau, Elton, Belle de Choisy 

 and the late Duke. These will form a succession of six 

 weeks in ripening and embrace their entire season. The 

 cherry is remarkably free from disease, and usually requires 

 but ordinary care in its cultivation. 



THE PLUM. 



The plum affords some of the most delicious of our culti- 

 vated fruits. It prefers a strong clay loam, but does well in 

 nearly all soils, except a light sand. It should be planted 

 like the apple, though on a more limited scale, as it has a 

 smaller and less vigorous growth. The proper distance is 

 sixteen to twenty feet. There are two formidable impedi- 

 ments in the cultivation of the plum. One is an insect, 

 which attacks the wood, and deposits its egg in the smaller 

 branches. This is followed by a large swelling or excres- 

 cence and if suffered to remain, will soon destroy its produc- 

 tiveness. The surest remedy is to cut off the branch at 

 once and burn it. 



The Curculio commits its depredations on the young 

 fruit, soon after the blossoms disappear. These are frequent- 

 ly so destructive as to kill the fruit of an entire orchard. 

 Several methods of destroying them have been suggested, 

 of which the most simple and effectual is, to plant the trees 

 in such places as will admit the swine and poultry to feed 

 upon the fallen fruit and insects. Salt sprinkled around the 

 tree in the spring, is said to destroy them. The smoke of 

 rotten wood, leaves and rubbish which' have been burned 

 under the trees when in blossom, has sometimes proved 

 beneficial. Paving the earth under the limbs to prevent the 

 burrowing of the insects, and some other remedies are re- 

 commended. This is a serious evil, requiring more obser- 

 vation and experiment than it has yet received. 



Varieties. The common Blue or Horse plum is cultiva- 

 ted in numerous sub- varieties. Some of these are very good, 

 others utterly worthless. Good plums are as easily raised 

 as poor ones, and these only ought to be cultivated. Young 



