122 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIKTY. 



PLUM CULTURE— A DISCUSSION. 



R. H. LiBBY : I have been engaged for twelve vears in plum 

 culture in a small way, having some seventy-five trees. I have 

 always had a number of varieties so that cross-fertilization 

 might take place, and I think that essential to fruit-bearing. I 

 set my trees about sixteen feet apart, and they have proved 

 very profitable. Do not try to spray the black knot. This is 

 a fungous growth which comes two or three times a year and 

 you must cut it out. It is sometimes well to bathe the knot in 

 turpentine or kerosene, but the best thing to do is to watch 

 carefully, and as soon as you see a knot cut it 0"-t and burn it. 

 The orchardist ought to cut down every cherry tree he sees 

 with a black knot on it, for self-protection if nothing else. Clean 

 culture, careful attention, and good cultivation are all necessary 

 to successful plum growix^g. 



C. S. Pope : Do not be discouraged by the black knot. The 

 New York Experiment Station at Cornell University says, that 

 by spraying with Bordeaux mixture you can hold the black 

 knot in check, and I have had very good results with the same 

 method. It forms a coating on the limb and keeps off the spores. 

 Any way, it is a very good plan to spray the plum tree with 

 Bordeaux mixture, and it is also well to add a little Paris green. 

 But if you see a black knot there is just one thing to do, cut 

 it out. 



C. S. Phinney: I have for the past few years had many 

 plum trees, and I hope to have more. I ordered about six years 

 ago about ten Japanese plum trees from a dealer. He sent me 

 some, saying that they were not very good, and I set them out. 

 Four of these did well. Two years ago I set out about a hundred 

 trees, and to-day I have from one hundred and fifty to one 

 hundred and seventy-five trees, some having fruited twice, and 

 many not at all. I have here some shoots from a Burbank 

 fully budded out, from a tree which bore about $20 worth of 

 plums last year ; also a Wixon and an Abundance, fully budded. 

 The Abundance bore a very good crop in 1898, and a fair one in 

 1899. It is a very good plan if you have an orchard of 



