BOOK OF FRUITS. 33 



A cold, wet, clayey soil, or a dry sandy situ- 

 ation is not considered so favorable. They 

 thrive best in our neighborhood near the bor- 

 ders of the sea, which we think is owing to 

 their being in such situations not so subject to 

 the insect called Curculio, which perforates 

 and destroys the fruit; these insects are not 

 so abundant here as in the vicinity of Bos- 

 ton ; they are said to avoid the salt air. 



Salem, which may almost be called a pen- 

 insula, being nearly surrounded by the sea, 

 has been for many years known to produce 

 annually more fruit of this kind than any 

 other city or town in the State. Plum trees 

 are also liable to be attacked by an insect 

 which causes large black bunches or warts to 

 be formed on the limbs, but as there are sev- 

 eral varieties which are said to be exempted 

 from this disease, we hope to find among up- 

 wards of one hundred kinds we have receiv- 

 ed from different sources, a desirable variety 

 which may be always free from this destruc- 

 tive insect, and which we may describe here- 

 after. 



