STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 65 



cut out when first seen and burned a tree so affected may be 

 preserved many years. The black knot does not affect the fruit 

 only as it affects the vigor and vitality of the tree. Some varie- 

 ties are more subject to the attacks of the knot than others, the 

 Japans least of any. There is another pest nearly as serious in 

 its effects as the lack knot, that is the brown rot which affects 

 the fruit and sometimes destroys a crop completely. It is a 

 fungous disease which lives through the winter in the dried-up 

 fruit left on the trees and also in the ground. The dead and 

 diseased fruit should all be destroyed, and care taken to set those 

 trees which are least subject to its ravages. Some growers claim 

 that Bordeaux used early will keep it in check, but we have not 

 been much benefited by its use. Severe thinning of the fruit is 

 a great help. 



One of the worst evils which plum raisers encounter is the 

 curculio. We have never been much troubled by the insect. 

 Some fruit is stung each year but enough is left for a crop. We 

 have a small orchard in a large hen yard and there the fruit is 

 smooth and fine. Some varieties are less subject to the attacks 

 of the curculio than others owing to the toughness of the skin of 

 the fruit as for instance the Lincoln, Spaulding and all of the 

 Japans. 



Now I wish to touch lightly on thinning the fruit. How many 

 growers have ever tried to ascertain by practice what the effect of 

 thinning the fruit on plum trees is and what influence it might 

 exert in relieving a congested market ? There is always a ready 

 sale for fine fruit even when there is a large crop, while poor 

 fruit wall receive no attention. 



A tree which overbears must produce small fruit, salable only 

 at a low price and causing a loss to the grower, and also making 

 a heavy draft upon the tree itself. For these reasons we advocate 

 and practice thinning fruit especially of the plum as it is sure to 

 overbear. We picked and dropped on the ground from a Bur- 

 bank tree this season at a close estimate three bushels of fruit 

 and then sold over five bushels from the same tree. In order to 

 raise strictly fancy fruit plums should be left at a distance of two 

 or three inches from each other, they will then grow too large 

 for canning but sell quickly for table use, and we must cater more 

 to the growing demand for fine plums for eating out of hand, and 

 what more delicious fruit is grown than a well grown, well 



