THE PLUM. B21 



of the curculio, which are only occasionally found when de- 

 posited at a later stage in the large pulpy swellings. 



Others, with more plausibility, believe the disaster to re- 

 sult from the infusion of poison by the minute sting of an 

 insect, and which afterwards spreads over the tree by the 

 moving sap. But sufficient evidence has not been furnished 

 to establish this opinion, nor the insect in question detected. 



Sufficient evidence appears to have been furnished, how- 

 ever, to prove that a tree, badly diseased, is infected through- 

 out with the poison ; as suckers from such a tree will always 

 sooner or later become affected. Buds from diseased trees, 

 placed in healthy stocks, soon exhibit the excrescences. But 

 seedlings or suckers from a healthy tree usually escape, un- 

 less in near proximity to unhealthy trees. 



The remedy for this disease is certain and efficient, if 

 vigilantly applied. It consists in cutting off and burning 

 all the excrescences as soon after their first appearance as 

 practicable. As the poison spreads, it is desirable to re- 

 move the wood of the branches some inches from the appa- 

 rently affected parts. If the tumors, however, break out on 

 the trunk or main limbs, it may be difficult to do this with- 

 out cutting away the whole tree. As much of the wood is 

 therefore to be cut out as may exhibit the least indication of 

 disease ; and the wound washed with a solution of copperas, 

 as recommended and successfully praciiced by Downing, or 

 with strong brine, as found beneficial by Dr. Harris and 

 others. The only instances where the remedy has failed, is 

 where it has been but very partially applied, or where the 

 disease has been suffered to spread for a time unchecked 

 The only way is to cut and continue cutting, so long as any 

 traces remain. This will be found to check, and by perse- 

 verance, to remove the disease. As a general but not uni- 

 versal rule, the yellow plums are not so liable to excrescen- 

 ces as purple varieties, unless surrounded by diseased trees. 



The leaf-blight, or premature casting of the foliage, proves 

 in some seasons a serious disaster to the plum, as it checks 

 the growth of the shoots, and prevents the ripening of the 

 fruit. Occasionally it has been so severe as to spoil entirely 

 the value of the crop. No satisfactory cause has been as- 

 signed for this malady, other than the want of proper food 

 in the soil, and among the successful remedies noticed, . 



