24 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



least subject to the black-knot ; Init, in attempting to answer 

 the question, " Which are those?" I am a little at a loss to 

 know. The Shropshire Damson, which I consider, aside 

 from that, the most profitable plum that wx have raised, is 

 very much subject to it, and we have stopped planting it. 

 But for that I should call it the best market plum we have. 

 The Lombard, which is a profuse bearer, is also very much 

 troubled with the black-knot. It has troubled us so badly 

 that we have stopped planting that variety. The Imperial 

 Gage so far has escaped the black-knot, when others have 

 broken out with it all around it. The German Prune, Pond's 

 Seedling, and the Niagara, have been comparatively free 

 from it, although not w^holly so. I would advise those who 

 are engaged in poultry raising to have a plum orchard for 

 their poultry yards. In that way they would escape the 

 ravages of the curculio to a large extent, and the droppings 

 of the fowls would very materially help to fertilize the trees. 

 Question. Before you leave that subject, will you state 

 how long your plum trees have been under cultivation ? 



Mr. Augur. I cannot say that they have been under cul- 

 tivation exactly. They Avere planted pretty thickly in the 

 hen yard, and being enclosed, and the fowls having a run 

 there, we do not attempt to raise any crop, and have not 

 kept up continuous cultivation. 

 Question. How old are they ? 

 Mr. Augur. I should say twelve or fifteen years. 

 Mr. Hawkins of Lancaster. I would like to ask the 

 jjentleman if he thinks the moist weather Ave have had for 

 the last two seasons has been conducive to the spread of the 

 black-knot ? 



Mr. Augur. I have not traced it particularly to that. 

 Mr. Hawkins. I have some forty-five hundred plum 

 trees, and have not had any l)lack-knot until within two 

 years ; and as fast as it appears I cut it out. This year I 

 had to cut out a whole orchard, to get rid of it, and I 

 attributed it to the moist season. 



Mr. Augur. The disease seems to propagate by spores, 

 and it has certainly seemed to be epidemic. The potato rot 

 comes from spores, and there are seasons Avhen its ravages 

 are very much more severe than others, and this last season 



