90 An American Fruit-Farm 



cannot easily distinguish a pltim tree from a 

 prune tree, but experience soon discovers the su- 

 perior value of the prune. It is hardier, more 

 productive, longer-lived, and more regular in bear- 

 ing. Of prunes three desirable varieties are York 

 State, German, and ItaHan, the first possibly a 

 local ** sport" or seedling, the tree strongly resem- 

 bling wild stock. Maturing in late September, or 

 mid-October, the prune is firm, large, rich in color 

 and quality, and able to bear shipment to long 

 distance. Some orchardists report an income of 

 from five hundred to eight hundred dollars an acre 

 from their prunes. The enemies of plvim and prune 

 multiply every year. Black-knot is most formid- 

 able and is cured by cutting out and burning the 

 affected parts, even if the whole tree must go. 

 The trees must be sprayed for scale, for fungus, and 

 for other insects than the scale, — ^moths, curculio, 

 and the like. Both pltims and prunes tend to 

 overbear and thus produce a mass of small fruit. 

 The preventive is thinning out the fruit early in 

 the season, rather than to let the limbs crash down 

 under weight of superfluous fruit, or to rely wholly 

 upon trimming. The orchardist who has many 

 plimi or prune trees must plan to give them cease- 

 less attention. They are highly profitable when 

 rightly managed. Every fruit-farm needs fruit 

 in its succession from opening summer till closing 

 winter. By consulting the catalogue of a trust- 

 worthy nurseryman, the fruit-farmer may select 

 a few plum trees as it were ''for table use.*' The 



