CHAPTER VI. 





THE PLUM. 



Choice of a Tree. A good plum tree is 

 straight, well formed and entirely free from 

 black excrescences on the trunk and limbs. 

 It should be grafted upon a finely-rooted free- 

 growing plum stock. Plum as well as other 

 trees, of which the graft appears to be over- 

 growing the stock, should always be avoided; 

 for such growing trees rarely fail of disap- 

 pointing the, wishes of those who cultivate 

 them. 



Standards and Dwarfs. The plum is 

 dwarfed by grafting it upon the Mirabelle 

 plum stock, but dwarf-plums are not worthy 

 of cultivation except as curiosities. Standards 

 are worked upon strong free growing English 

 plum stocks, and never very advantageously 

 on the peach or the wild plum, or on any other 

 stock. 



Soil. Downing recommends " heavy loams 



