92 Description of the Columbia Plum. 



gathered from the original tree, and the following characteris- 

 tics of the variety were noted at the same time. 



Form almost globular; diameter of the fruit nearly two 

 inches. Stem about an inch long, rather slender, inserted in 

 a slight cavity; suture scarcely visible, on one side of which 

 the fruit is rather larger than on the other. Color brownish 

 purple, or dark brown covered with purple bloom, dotted 

 with numerous golden specks. Flesh adheres slightly to 

 the stone, which is small and considerably compressed. Skin 

 thin; juice abundant, rich, and sugary; young shoots and 

 leaves slightly downy; the leaves not glossy on the upper sur- 

 face. 



Some other fine varieties of plums have originated in the 

 neighborhood of Hudson, and Mr. Lawrence has raised an- 

 other excellent sort, of the color of the Imperial gage, which 

 we may hereafter figure and describe. 



The soil of Hudson and the vicinity is a stifl:' heavy loam, 

 in many places running into clay, which produces large and 

 abundant crops of plums. Indeed, on the North River, all 

 our most productive orchards of this fruit are upon heavy clay 

 soil. The plum orchard of Mr. Denniston, of Albany, one 

 of the largest in this country, is planted in a retentive clayey 

 soil, and the trees bend under the heavy weight of their pur- 

 ple and golden fruit; when in other orchards, planted on light 

 sandy soils, scarcely a fruit reaches maturity. We have 

 therefore frequently recommended, with excellent success, 

 the application of clayey loam as a manure for this tree on 

 light sandy soils. It increases the retentiveness of the soil, 

 and the roots are furnished with a more abundant supply of 

 moisture and nutritive matter. 



The curcuUo is one of the greatest enemies of the plum; 

 indeed, in many sections of the country, the whole crop is 

 frequently swept off by its attacks. When its habits are well 

 known, however, a little care will enable us to rid our gardens 

 of this insect, so destructive to stone fruit. 



The curculio is a winged insect, which emerges from the 

 ground about the time when the trees are in blossom, and 

 punctures the fruit almost as soon as it is formed, depositing 

 its eggs in the tender skin of the swollen germ. When the 

 fruit has reached one tiiird of its size, if we observe it close- 

 ly, we shall discover the scar of this puncture made by the 

 insect, in the shape of a semi-circle or small crescent, about 



