116 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1891. 



parts cut from the trees should be gathered and burned at once. 

 When the plum is grown on adjoining estates its spread can 

 only be prevented by concerted action, as one tree left uncared 

 for will keep the whole neighborhood busy. Some recent 

 experiments at the Agricultural College at Amherst with kero- 

 sene oil mixed with whiting to form a paste and spread over 

 the knots with a brush have destroyed the knots without injur- 

 ing the limbs of the trees. Among the desirable varieties of 

 the plum the Green Gage, though not as attractive in appearance, 

 stands at the head of the list in quality. The Washington, 

 Jeffierson, Coe's Golden Drop, McLaughlin, Lombard, Brad- 

 shaw and Niagara are desirable varieties. The fruit is liable to 

 rot before it is in condition to pick and as a preventive should 

 be carefully thinned. 



The cherry tree combines the useful with the ornamental 

 in a higher degree than any of our orchard trees, especially the 

 heart-shaped varieties with their upright, vigorous growth ; sym- 

 metrical in form, with dark glossy foliage they are hardly excelled 

 in beauty by any of the shade trees grown on public or private 

 grounds. The cherry tree well established will continue to 

 thrive under wider conditions and requires less care than any 

 of our orchard trees. The fruit of some of the soft flesh 

 varieties is fine in quality and desira1)le for the table while the 

 firmer fleshed bigarreaus and the more acid varieties are desira- 

 ble for cookinoj and cannino;. Some of the best varieties are 

 liable to decay at the turn of ripening if the weather happens 

 to be wet, a shower sufficient to thoroughly wet the fruit follow- 

 ed by extreme heat will often result in total loss. Another 

 larger loss without special regard to varieties is by the birds, 

 among which the red breast robin plays a conspicuous part ; 

 they commence as soon as the fruit turns color and take an 

 unfair advantage by selecting the finest specimens. Among 

 the many desirable varieties of the cherry may be mentioned 

 Mayduke, Bigarreau, Black Tartarian, Gov. Wood, Coe's Trans- 

 parent, Hyde's Seedling, and Downer's Late. 



The quince forms a small tree, rarely more than ten or twelve 

 feet in height ; it is perfectly hardy, though the tips of the 

 season's growth are sometimes killed during the following win- 



