PLUM 



much more spreading and strong supporting system of 

 roots. Tliis lias come to be generally recognized, 

 and seedlings are now usually the rule. This is all- 

 important in California, for there the roots of all plants 

 must necessarily go deep for their moisture and nour- 

 ishment, lu (:at^ di'cp-iooting is the rule beyond all 

 common cxi"- in ilii^ ;ilmond roots the thick- 

 ness of our liii.n found at a depth of 22 

 feet — one m| . i i laiices of the characteristic 

 conditions ..f i lin,, ,111,1 ,1 l: rii-ultural practice 



Propagatii.u IS by butli liuds and graft-- Tlv ir inl 



practice is tu bud the young stock in ■'!;'■ ir I \ ! 1, 



and tlun in January and February 1" 1 1 - 1 < 



which have not taken can be grafted, tli. ■ :- - 



chances. When peach or almond is u 1.4 a- -I'-U, 

 budding alone is done, as these stocks have been tuuiid 

 to take the graft poorly. The trees are not allowed to 

 remain in nursery longer than one year after budding, 

 and in many cases are set out the spring following, as 

 "dormant buds." In California the 

 c e 5 of deep and thorough prepa 

 rit o f the lai I before 1 lanting the 



PLUA 



1377 



shape, removal of dead or damaged branches and short- 

 euing-iu the current season's growth to keep the young 

 twigs in a vigorous growing condition and to prevent 

 overbearing. 



One interesting exception to the usual practice might 

 be mentioned here. On some very rich, moist bottom- 

 lands of the San Joaquin v^illTy il).- Lm-, slinder 

 branches are not cut back : in t:Mi. ili- \ ;ir< 1 n. ,niraged 

 by pruning back totheiT.n. n. I In h.ni; , :m < lnnj ".aues" 



are allowed to remain luii 1 1 tin. l-:r,( | ir ^ ,1 a crop 



(wliicli they do in the .-. - ! - i, ii . iivatest 



in-Mfiision), the ends rc-si • - I - i-i fruit 



^jaiiis weight. When tin . ,1 ..■. , i. ,1 re cut 



li;nk t<j the crown, whci 1 i;i'. ;. . 1. intake 



tin ir places. In thiy \^;i> ■ n-i ~ . i.>;i > 1 iiuit are 



liroduced on these Ian. Is. \\ li. y . will] erdinary treatment, 

 the trees would run , unn In 1,. wood. 



Thorough and | . r-i-i. ni iillaf,'e is one of the first 

 principles of thi ( aiil.iruia .uchardist, for with him 



1 f r 



use of the Ian 1 

 111 ss to plow an I 



1 r tl 1 tl e plant ng n 



<tq lar The sjuaie systtn ho 



e er has come to 1 e most gei erally u^^ed The style 

 of tree vas the next po nt of content on an ong the 

 growers; but experience soon decided in favor of the 

 low-beaded tree of the vase-form, with rather more 

 branches than usual. The early, high-headed, sprawl- 

 ing trees have now practically disappeared from the 

 California orchards, notwithstanding the strong ob- 

 jections at first offered against the low trees on the 

 score of impeding easy cultivation. The prejudices 

 have been overcome by the appreciation of the many 

 ail vantages of a low, "stocky" tree, and the introduc- 

 tion of improved implements. The rule now is to cut 

 back the young trees at planting to from 18 to 24 inches. 

 I'ntil the top is formed the stems are protected, by 

 whitewashing or wrapping with burlap, from the hot 

 afternoon sun. The first year from' 3 to 5 branches are 

 alloweil to grow from the stem, and these used to form 

 the main limbs of tlie tree. From this time the prun- 

 ing is done accoriling to the usual methods for the 

 vase-form tree, with the exception perhaps that se- 

 verer cutting-back is practiced at first in order to give 

 strength and stiwkiness to the limbs. In California 

 the Plum is a most remarkable grower, often send- 

 ing out shoots 10 fiet lonir in one season and prone 

 to overbear ; ami wh.ii anything but the severest 

 shorteniiit: in -\-i. in .luring' the first two seasons, at 

 cry soon break do%vn with 





iraiii 



is irreparably injured. After the third or fourth sea- 

 son the growth of wood is much less and usually the 

 pruning operations are confined to keeping the tree in 



13 3 ) 



th al ei ce of summer ra ns makes the conservat on 

 t tl e w nter ra nfall an al sol te necess tv Even 

 in the summer-irrigated districts the soil is tilled and 

 kept loose as soon as it is in proper condition, and no 

 weeds allowed to rob the trees of the precious fluid. Up 

 to three years aero, pr.actically all the pnme and Plum 

 crop WMs i.n..ii,.-c,l will,,, lit suinin.r irrigation. Winter 

 irrigation ■..,,, ,,i ir n i.i .•..•r,,, .1 .-m.! I hi V, '•!• r .■lih-rrved in 



the'snil .. ' . , ■ - . . !■ :■ •- .. nsnnof 



1897-s V .. I.- .. -i ..:..'■. ■ . !■- state, 



with !.■-- tli:,n in,-'-l!i,>il -1 i!m n-:; ■' |. ,..•,-:■ ..I rainfall. 



Theuseof summer irrii,'aii..n was .n - n,i;,nr,.s the 



only salvation of the trees. The iir-Mll.ii I |.nmping 



plants and irrigation systems tier. I,, r...i\r,l a great 

 impetus, until, to-day, many on-lnn.ls .if ini|.ortance 

 are thus equipped, and theuseof summer irrigation bids 

 fair to remain a permanent practice, at least in the pro- 

 duction of prunes. 



As yet the California Plum-grower (and this indeed is 

 generally true for all deciduous fruits) has hardly felt 

 the need of extensive fertilization. The soils of the arid 

 regions generally possess such high intrinsic fertility, 

 and the tree-roots have such great depths from which 

 to draw the nourishment and sustenance, that thus far 

 they have been able to produce the enormous crops taken 

 from the land without replenishment of the natural sup- 

 plies. In some of the older orchards, however, the need 

 of fertilization is beginning to be felt. In a great many 

 the main deficiency has been found to be vegetable mat- 

 ter, and, consequently, nitrogen. The extremely fine 

 tilth which has been maintained has resulted in the de- 

 struction of all natural green growth and the "burning 

 out" of the humus, and has necessitated the call for a 

 green-manure crop. This problem is rendered more dif- 

 ficult in California by the fact that any such crop must 

 be produced during the winter months and be ready to 



