122 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



I was interested in what he said about the Satsuma plum. 

 We have all been a little shy about planting many of them, 

 because they do not bear as quickly as some other varieties 

 that begin to bear fifteen or twenty minutes after they are 

 planted. When it gets well established, after five or six 

 years, it begins to bear tremendously of plums of good 

 size, although rather off color, being a dull livery red; and 

 they will keep two or three weeks if necessary after pick- 

 ing, if picked right. There is a continual demand for them. 

 People want them, and at high prices. All of us have been 

 overlooking it. 



I would like to ask Brother Willard how far apart he 

 plants his trees. 



Mr. Willard. Twelve by sixteen feet I had one lot 

 put in sixteen by sixteen, and I made up my mind it was 

 two valuable land to fool away in that way. I began to 

 figure up how long I was going to live, and I made up 

 my mind I had better "double up," so I had an additional 

 row put in, making the trees eight by sixteen, and I am sat- 

 isfied that with my method of handling it is going to be a 

 success. I would not advise some other fellow to do the 

 same as I do. 



Mr. Hale. Why twelve by sixteen? Why not equal 

 distances ? 



Mr. Willard. We can use our machines better with the 

 trees set in this way. 



Mr. Pratt. Do I understand that twice a year is suf- 

 ficient for cutting out the black-knot ? 



Mr. Willard. I find twice a year sufficient. We go 

 over our trees in the month of June for the black-knot. 

 Our trees are covered with fruit and our other work is 

 pressing, so we do not get an opportunity to do it again 

 until fall. At this season of the year the spores of the 

 black-knot are being spread ; hence we cut them off and 

 have a bushel basket in which the stubs are put as we cut 

 them off. Perhaps we will have a limb four or five feet long 

 to cut off' in order to get at the affected part. We cut the 

 limb off below the knot, then cut the knot from the limb, 

 dropping the limb to the ground and putting the knot into 

 a basket. These baskets are put into a wagon and taken to 



