100 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



in raising plums one must successfully fight the black knot. How 

 shall it be done ? We know of no better way than to prevent it 

 so far as possible bj' keeping the trees in a thrifty and healthy 

 condition. To do this the land must be made and kept rich. 

 Even under the most favorable circumstances the knots will after 

 a time appear. The trees should be frequently examined during 

 the growing season, and as soon as the fungous growth makes its 

 appearance it should be cut off and burned. If it appears on a 

 small limb or twig, sacrifice the limb, but if on a large branch cut 

 off the wart and ci;t deep enough to remove the whole of it. 

 Heroic treatment is required if one would save his trees. Bad 

 wounds must sometimes be made, but better so than to allow the 

 warts to remain. Some recommend the application of shellac to 

 such wounds, but we never take the trouble to do this as we do 

 not expect to keep the trees for many years. 



If the trees make a very thrifty growth it is well to head them 

 in just before the buds start in the spring, so as to keep them 

 stock}' and symmetrical. We have had many trees that would 

 make an annual growth of from five to seven feet from the ends 

 of the main branches. We usually cut back rather more than 

 half of such growth and in some cases back to within a foot of the 

 old growth. This of course with the high manuring we give the 

 land stimulates a large growth the same season, but this we rather 

 like because we think the trees will be freer from warts than if 

 less thrifty. Many regard the curculio as the great enemy of the 

 plum, to which opinion we do not assent. There is not much 

 difficulty in contending successfully with the " little Turk," who if 

 left alone it is true would make its crescent mark on every fruit 

 on ever}^ tree in the orchard. If the trees are left to themselves 

 and no measures are adopted to prevent the ravages of this insect 

 no crop will be obtained as a rule, but it is so easy to take 

 preventive steps that one has no excuse for not doing so if he 

 cares for his crop. 



We have no new plan to suggest but will briefly describe our 

 method of circumventing the persistent insect who " plays 'pos- 

 sum" so successfull}'. We have iron plugs made, the head an 

 inch and a quarter square or a little moi'e, and about three inches 

 long, tapering nearly to a point. We bore a slight hole into the 

 body of the tree and drive in one of these plugs about half the 

 length of the plug. This iron receives the blow of the mallet used 



