THE GENESEE FAKMER. 



S47 





liM 



AEE "WE TO HAVE PLUMS? * 



All over the country our eyes are greeted witli 

 the wasting, unsightly plum trees, now fast passing 

 among the things that were. Occasionally some 

 fortunate cultivator, in some favored locality, has 

 a few thrifty, bearing trees, but the great majority 

 of plum orchards have passed away, victims to that 

 mysterious and fatal disease known as "black 

 knot." We hear every year loud lamentations 

 about the ravages of the curculio, and are stimu- 

 lated by the otfer of rewards to the discovery of a 

 remedy for their destructive depredations. Nearly 

 all the pomological conventions and horticultural 

 societies consume the greater portion of their meet- 

 ings with discussions on "Pear Culture," and the 

 list of fruits to be recommended for "general cul- 

 tivation," or as "promising well," — occasionally 

 mustering courage to throw overboard some un- 

 lucky fruit, as not worthy of a place in an already 

 too extended and constantly changing list. Is it 

 not a little remarkable that amid the congregated 

 learning and experience of so many pomologists, 

 80 few have been found to call attention to the dis- 

 couraging position of plum culture, and invite the 

 research of those skilled in vegetable physiologj', to 

 determine the causes of the black knot or blight 

 on plum trees, or to invoke the aid of science and 

 experience in discovering some remedy ? 



The plimi is by no means an inferior fruit. As 

 a desert fruit, many of the varieties are as highly 

 esteemed as the choicest pears, while for cooking 

 purposes and sweetmeats the plum is much superi- 

 or to the pear. With these facts before us, it is 

 dithcult to understand why so much attention has 

 been bestowed upon the cultivation, diseases, and 

 habits of the pear, while the modest plum has been 

 allowed to nearly die outright, with scarcely an 

 ettort for its preservation. True, some are still 

 propagated, sold, and planted, to be added, after a 

 brief life, to the knotty, unsightly catalogue of 

 their luckless predecessors. 



Are we to have plums ? is a question that is more 

 easily asked than answered. But ought we really 

 to despair, though the ca,se looks so very discour- 



aging? It is to be hoped, at least, that no efforts 

 will be spared to fathom the mysteries of the dis- 

 ease, and apply a remedy. 



Perhaps in this, as in the potato disease, it may 

 be well to return to first principles. It is well 

 known that we have many new and valuable vari- 

 eties of the potato by growing from the seed. It 

 is true we have to raise many seedlings that are 

 worthless, but one good potato, that may be culti- 

 vated for years and not be seriously affected with 

 the disease, is an acquisition not to be lightly es- 

 teemed. What is true of the potato may unques- 

 tionably be true of other tubers, and also of fruit- 

 bearing trees and shrubs. 



The early settlers of Western New York, as well 

 as those who have made their homes in the West- 

 ern States, found groves of the native or wild plum, 

 (Primus domestica,) many of which bore and still 

 bear fruit much esteemed for cooking and pre- 

 serves, with an occasional variety that is very good 

 as a desert fruit. These trees have always been 

 hardy, bearing good crops with no attention, and 

 as far as we can learn, have been very free from 

 disease. There are, in many localities in Western 

 New York, still remaining some of these pioneer 

 trees, that have stood safe and sound while the cul- 

 tivated plum trees became diseased and disappear- 

 ed. There are now hundreds of thousands of these 

 wild plums in Wisconsin, Iowa, and other Western 

 States, in bearing, supplying the people with an 

 abundance of plums for all culinary purposes, and 

 we believe they are highly esteemed. 



The practical question that presents itself, is, 

 whether these hardy trees cannot be planted out 

 in orchards here, and thus supply the demand for 

 plums for cooking. Is not this subject well worth 

 the attention of amateur as well as professional 

 horticulturists? We hope this brief mention of 

 the subject will elicit the views of those whose ob- 

 servation and practical experience enable them to 

 throw light upon the subject. Have any of our 

 readers ever known the wild plum to be affected 

 with the black knot ? Will the trees do well when 

 transplanted and cultivated? 



Blackberkies IX Iowa. — An e5teemed corres- 

 pondent at Clay, Washington county, Iowa, writer : 

 " We have been favored with an immense crop of 

 weeds and blackberries this season, — the latter of 

 which are much preferred, as tliey have been gath- 

 ered in great abundance. It was estimated that in 

 one day" six hundred busliels were gathered from 

 the timbered lands of one school section : they not 

 being found on prairie. The iieojile turned out en 

 masse to gather the spoils, and this delicious fruit 

 was used in every possible form, in pies, puddings, 

 jellies and jams, though the larger part was scalded 

 and dried for winter use, So you see we are not 

 destitute of good things " out west." 



