STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 41 



the plum is quite tender and ought to have a good elevation so that 

 our hard winters will not affect too seriously ; next choose a heavy 

 compact soil, as a loose sandy one is the favorite home of the curculio. 

 but with the hard compact soil, he cannot barrow easily. Do not 

 locate your plum orchard too near other lands that you do not con- 

 trol, as plum or cherrj- trees that are covered with black knot will 

 surely work the ruin of your own. 



The curculio has not seemed to do so much damage in Maine as in 

 other states ; and it does not seem to trouble large orchards so badly 

 as it does isolated trees ; but I think most highly of a hard stony soil 

 as a protection from this troublesome pest. 8ome advise grafting 

 the phim on the Canada stock, but the trouble is that the scion will 

 outgrow the stock and the first full crop of plums are more than 

 likely to prove its last ; the union is so poor that it will fail to bear 

 its burden and it will split down. First class trees on plum roots 

 will give the best satisfaction in the long run. The plum tree will 

 not require much pruning, although it will stand a large amount of 

 cutting well. Give good cultivation and the plum will make a very 

 rapid growth. Salt is a very good fertilizer for the plum tree and 

 a liberal use of wood ashes on all our old worn out soils are a neces- 

 sity. It would be well to shorten in the more vigorous shoots early 

 in the autumn, as this will cause the tender wood to harden and 

 prevent winter killing. Trees that bear too heavily should be thinned 

 as they are very liable to break down with their burden of fruit. 

 The plum unlike the pear, to be the most delicious should be ripened 

 on the tree ; but in order to stand transportation well, will have to 

 be picked before they are fully ripe. Our local markets require all 

 the plums that we have been able to raise, and no doubt they will 

 for some time to come. 



In making selection of choice varieties, we have quite a list to 

 select from. As for my own experience, I would place McLaughlin 

 first for quality and size ; it is quite hard}' and has proved a good 

 bearer with me ; but it has this disadvantage, it will not bear trans- 

 portation well like the Lombard. Smith's Orleans is a plum of good 

 size and qualit}', productive, and very hard}'. The Shropshire 

 Damson is a plum of good quality and very productive, a very pop- 

 ular market variety ; it has sold for better prices with me than any 

 other variet3\ The Yellow Gage is a fine eating variety but has the 

 bad habit of rotting on the tree ; some years it has proved an entire 

 failure from this cause. The Lombard is very productive but lacks 



