106 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of a large tree cannot be removed at that time without serious 

 injury. So he was obliged to leave them, and pruned them off 

 early in spring. Since then Professor Farlow has discovered the 

 ■cause of the trouble in a fungus, Plowrightia (Sphoeria) morbosa, 

 described in the "Bulletin of the Bussey Institution," vol. 1, p. 

 440. It appears from this that the fungus is propagated by 

 several kinds of spores, one of which matui'es in the winter, and 

 the speaker said that if he had known this and pruned off and 

 burned the warts as soon as the trees became dormant in autumn 

 he might have destroyed these winter spores and doubtless checked 

 the spread of the fungus. 



Samuel Hartwell said that he had grown plums on sandy soil 

 and got good crops. He spread a cloth under the trees to catch 

 the curculios, and caught a few. His trees have overborne, and 

 when this happens they must be thinned or they will rot. The 

 knife is effectual for a time in keeping down the black knot. 



Joseph S. Chase said that he grows his plum trees in dwarf form, 

 by grafting a thrifty seedling, about five-eighths or three-quarters 

 of an inch in diameter, using a scion with four or five buds. The 

 grafting is done near the crown of the root. In case any one bud 

 grows faster than the others, he nips off its end, checking the 

 growth and making a tree of upright form, branching at from six to 

 «jght inches from the ground. This method keeps the tree wholly 

 within easy reach. He advised clean culture, and in the spring of 

 each year the application of about a pint of salt around each tree. 

 To protect the trees from the curculio he uses finely sifted coal ashes, 

 which he sprinkles with a scoop over the whole tree in the morning, 

 before the dew is off. This is commenced when the blossoms fall, 

 and is repeated every four days or immediately after a shower, 

 until the fruit is about one-third grown, P'or the black knot or wart 

 he thought prompt amputation of the part affected imperatively^ 

 necessar}', and that it should be thoroughly done even if it takes 

 the root. Mr. Chase grows eight varieties of plums, but of all 

 kinds he prefers the Reine Claude de Bavay, both for the table 

 and for market. 



Mr. Hyde thought air-slaked lime better than ashes. The best 

 time for grafting plums is early, say during the month of March. 



Mr. Bates thought any fine, dry dust as good as ashes or air- 

 slaked lime. 



Mr. Manning said that he had found the Prximis myrobalana, 

 some of the varieties of which have lately been recommended for 



