CULTURE OF THE PLUM. 59 



Bradshaw, Lombard, etc., will require the latter distance. Trees 

 two years from bud are most commonly planted, although a strong 

 one-year-old tree often does equally well and costs less. 



CULTIVATION. The Plum, as stated before, will not be injured 

 by a high state of cultivation; but, as with all other fruits, late 

 working of the soil should be avoided. It is largely being planted 

 in poultry yards, where the cultivation and fertilization is done to 

 a great extent by the fowls, while the trees afford the necessary 

 shade during the summer. 



PRUNING. Most of the varieties require the same attention 

 while young that the pear tree does, as they also have a tendency 

 to grow only three or four strong shoots, which become much ex- 

 tended, and when loaded with fruit are liable to be broken off. 

 This may be remedied and the tree be made compact and close- 

 headed by a little pinching the first two or three years. The form 

 of the tree is naturally round and should be trained low on ac- 

 count of the ease of thinning and gathering the fruit. 



AGE OF BEARING. The Plum may be expected to produce 

 paying crops of fruit at from four to six years from planting in 

 the orchard. It naturally tends to injury by over-bearing, but if 

 the fruit be thinned, the bearing condition of the tree will con- 

 tinue probably from twenty-five to fifty years. 



THINNING THE FRUIT. No fruit is more improved by this pro- 

 cess than the Plum, and with no fruit will the work give better 

 returns. When the fruit is from one-fourth to three-eighths of 

 an inch in diameter, all imperfect and insect-bitten fruit should 

 be picked. Only one Plum should be allowed to remain on each 

 spur, 'and only one Plum to each three inches of the shoots. 

 Where properly thinned the trees are seldom injured by over- 

 bearing and the crop is often doubled in value. 



CLASSIFICATION. The fruit is divided into three classes the 

 green or yellow, the red, and the purple or blue Plums. Many 

 varieties, however, partake in a greater or less degree of the char- 

 acteristics of two or more classes. 



YELLOW OR GREEN VARIETIES. 



Green Gage. This variety is generally taken as the standard 

 of excellence among Plums. The fruit is small, round, greenish 

 yellow, and of the most melting, delicious quality. The tree is 

 small, rather slow in growth, but hardy and productive. The 

 fruit is in season in September. 



Imperial Gage. Somewhat resembles the last in fruit, but is 

 larger, round, greenish and not quite equal in quality. The tree is 

 large, vigorous and productive. The fruit ripens from the mid- 

 dle to the last of August. 



McLaughlin. Large, round, greenish yellow, sweet and fine in 

 flavor. The tree is a good grower and productive, ripening its 

 fruit the last of August. 



