168 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



up the wounds you make, as carefully as you would 

 your finger if a piece of it were cut off. See a re- 

 cent article by "N. T. T." on this subject. 



WHITEWASHING ROOFS. 



Mr. Editor : — I should be pleased to have your 

 opinion, or the opinions of some of your numerous 

 contributors, on the practicability of whitewashing 

 the roofs of buildings. Would not whitewash be 

 as good a preservative for the roof, as for the sides 

 of buildings ? Any one will confer a favor by an- 

 swering the above, through the columns of the 

 JVew England Farmer. 



Yours truly, Orrin P. Allen. 



Prodorsville, Ft., Jan., 1856. 



Remarks. — Would not the whitewash lodge on 

 the ends of the shingles, and prevent the water from 

 running off readily, and thus cause them to decay ? 

 It is said that shingles, painted after they are laid, 

 have this effect, and do not last so long as those un- 

 painted, unless they are dipt in paint, or painted on 

 both sides before they are laid. 



A TALK OF PLUMS. 



Few fruits are more beautiful on the tree, or 

 more tempting in the dish, than plums. As a 

 dessert, they are every where esteemed, and are 

 extensively used as a preserve, and in either form, 

 taken moderately, they are wholesome and nutri- 

 tious. The beautiful about us adds something to 

 our happiness, if our tastes are rightly cultivated, 

 as well as a ministration to our physical wants ; 

 and what can be more attractive than a small, well 

 managed plum orchard near a favorite window, or 

 in a sunny spot of the garden, where the rich, dark 

 red of the Golden Drop, the faint green of the 

 Imperial Gage, the golden yellow of the Jefferson, 

 or the pale crimson of the Washington, gleam in 

 the sun, and reflect their colors upon each other ! 

 How delightful to lead your friend, unexpectedly 

 to him, where plums in variety hang in clustering 

 profusion, and invite him to gather at will of those 

 ready to drop with fulness and perfection ! The 

 work of your own hands, too, the result of odd 

 moments, a few at a time, when the body required 

 a little exercise, and the mind a change of scene 

 and employment. "So the plums cost me nothing, 

 sir ; indeed, they are more than clear gain ; for in 

 cultivating them, I cultivated my own mind for a 

 love of th^ beautiful and useful, and awoke new 

 emotions of gratitude and love. Fill this basket, 

 sir, and take them to your wife and children." 



Plum trees are hardy and easily cultivated, and 

 are suited to our climate, unless the black wart is a 

 climatic disease. They flourish better, however, on 

 soils that are rich loams, than on rich sandy soils. 

 Of late years, thousands are deterred from setting 

 plum trees by two discouragements — the black 

 knot and the curculio. The first is destroying them 

 in large numbers, and no remedies seem yet to have 



been discovered that will prevent it. Many have 

 been suggested, but their efficacy has not been uni- 

 form. The curculio continues its work only for a 

 short time, and may be prevented from doing much 

 mischief by the timely appHcation of fine lime, 

 ashes or plaster, sifted over the young fruit as soon 

 as it begins to form, and continued twice or three 

 times a week, for a month. 



Below we introduce four well estabhshed varie- 

 ties, either of which is worthy of a place in the 

 garden. Other varieties, equally as good, perhaps 

 better, we may speak of, and illustrate at another 

 time. 



Lawrence's favorite. 



Rather large ; roundish, shghtly oval, with flat- 

 tish ends ; yellowish-green, clouded with darker 

 streaks, light greenish Tiloom, at full maturity 

 brownish l)lotches and reddish specks around the 

 stem ; stalk short and slender, in a small cavity ; 

 flesh greenish, melting, very juicy, of a brisk, de- 

 licious, vinous flavor, resembling and almost equal 

 to the Green Gage, and larger. Almost freestone. 

 Last of Aug. to Sept. 15. Vigorous, upright 

 growth ; moderate bearer. Originated by Mr. L. 

 U. Lawrence, Hudson, N. Y. 



PURPLE GAGE. 



Medical ; roundish, flattened at the ends, shaLow 

 suture ; skin rather thick, violet, yellow dots, blue 

 bloom ; stem nearly an inch long, rather stout ; 

 flesh yellowish, rather firm, of a rich, sugary, high, 

 luscious flavor, almost equal to Green Gage. Free- 

 stone. Aug. 25 to Sept. 25, and la^ts through the 



