1378 PLUM 



plow-in with the beginnins of tillacre in Miirch; 



The matter 

 nia Experiment ^ 

 trials of native 

 European lupin 



1857. Flowers of native plums. Uomestica flam. 



Prunus Americana on the left ; The letters indicate the 



P. angustifolia on the right. termination of annual 



(See page 1374.) growths. (See page 1374.) 



carnleus, L. angitstifolius), and the "hairy vetch " ( Mcia 

 villosa ) have been found to be the most promising. Prom 

 numerous analyses of California soils, Professor Hil- 

 gard has found them generally well supplied with lime 

 and potash, with nitrogen and phosphoric acid not over- 

 abundant. It is, then, these latter which will have to be 

 supplied first, and such has been the advice given to 

 growers. 



As mentioned above, the Plum has few serious ene- 

 mies in California, and none which cannot be held in 

 check by spraying and other treatment. Upon the leaves 

 the Plum aphis and the canker worm have given some 

 trouble. Lately, the "peach moth" has been found at 

 work on the prune trees, but not to any serious extent. 

 The trees, too, are sometimes subject to the attacks of 

 scale insects; the hl.ick scale (Lecaniiim oUa), apricot 

 scale {L. Armeni,ir„m). frosfnd sralr {I,, pnihinsum) 

 and pernicious sc.m1i- i . I. •,■/.;. /i.i/„k p, r)ii,-inx,i:i] '..-int; the 

 most frequent; all >A' whicli, lH.\v.'\'rr. ih.- ( 'alildrnia 

 fruit-grower has l.-arnrd to kcTp in i-li. ■.■!;. and in somr 

 cases even to eradicutt-. The cicwn r^'ot-kiict has also 

 caused considerable trouble. The cause of this disease 

 has been lately demonstrated by Toumey to be a "slime 

 mold" {Dendrophaqus globosus). Relief has been se- 

 cured by cutting off the knots and painting the wounds 

 with Bordeaux mixture. 



In California some fruit is usually borne the third 

 year; in the fourth a fairly profitable crop is expected; 

 the fifth from 50 to 60 pounds per tree should be pro- 



PLUM 



duced, which ought to double in the sixth, and after 

 that from 150 to 300 pounds is ihe nil.-. Tli.-r li-un-s 

 apply mostly to the prunes; ujam ..i ih. I iiiin. ai . i\\i> 

 or three years later in oominu' li i - - > i - I 'in 



200 to SOOpounds areconsiderc.l : . . n-- 



ing in the Santa Clara valley, in -inn m t m. . - and 



even 800 pounds have been producn-d, an<l a (i-year old 

 tree at Visalia (San Joaquin valley) is credited with 

 1,102 pounds of fruit in one season. 



It would be impossible to enumerate a full list of the 

 varieties actually in successful cultivation within the 

 state. Such a list would probably include every note- 

 worthy variety of Domestica Plum. Many, however, 

 despite excellence of quality and flavor, are suited 

 only for home-growing, or at most for local markets, on 

 account of poor shipping qualities. For this reason 

 the number of varieties planted on a large scale is 

 being constantly reduced. 



Experience has demonstrated the superiority of some 

 varieties for certain climatic regions and general market 

 conditions, and these have come to be recognized as 

 standard. At the head of the list stands the Prune 

 d'Agen, the originally introduced French prune, which 

 has proved itself adapted to more varying conditions 

 than any other variety, and is therefore perhaps the 

 most generally planted variety of fruit in the state. 

 For some time its identity as the true French prune was 

 disputed ; but from authentic samples submitted to 

 tliem, French experts have declared it to be of the 

 true d'Ente type of the Agen district, both in botanical 

 cliaracters and in sweetness and flavor. It is, of course, 

 used chiefly for curing. In the same category belong 

 the Robe de Sergeant, Imperial Epineuse, Silver and 

 Sugar— all standard drying prune varieties. The Robe 

 de Sergeant has been supposed by some to be a syno- 

 nym of the Prune d'Agen, and is so considered in 

 France; but in California it is grown as a distinct va- 

 riety. The fruit is larger, usually more highly flavored, 

 and has commanded higher prices in the San Francisco 

 market. The tree, however, has not proved so widely 

 adaptable, and is in disfavor in the coast valleys on 

 account of defective bearing; in the interior it is more 

 satisfactory. The Silver prune (an Oregon seedling of 

 Coe Golden Drop) is also a defective bearer in some 

 districts, and is used mostly in the preparation of 

 "bleached prunes," for which it has proved quite proflt- 

 al)le in some instances. It is sometimes marketed in 

 the fresh state also. The Imperial Epineuse is a recently 

 introduced French variety and is fast becoming very 

 popular. So far as tried it has proved very profitable, 

 especially in the Santa Clara valley, where many or- 

 chards have been grafted over to it. The fruit is very 

 large and handsnnie. and actual analysis has shown it 



than the onl ■ I . ! It 



ever, from tin- Imi-. i ,ai. a \ a- 

 riety very ]nmli iiiliiim in 

 flavor and sweetness and not 

 nearly so satisfactory. Lutlier 

 Burbank's new Sugar prune 

 (introduced two years ago) 

 bases its claims upon superior 

 sweetness and flavor, together 

 with fair medium size. It has 

 not yet been long enough under 

 trial, however, to justify any 

 remarks regarding its merits as 

 a commercial variety. The Ger- 

 man prune, Italian ( Fellenberg) , 

 Golden prune, Hungarian 

 (Pond Seedling), and Tragedy 

 are varieties sometimes used for 

 curing, but are frequently 



shipped green as "Plums." Of 1859. Plum rot. 



these the German is perhaps The mummy Plnms hang 

 the most extensively tised. The on the tree all winter. 

 Italian succeeds well along the (See page 1374.) 

 coast in places liable to fogs 



or sea winds, where the French is not at its best. 

 It is valuable as a late variety, and is said to dry 

 excellently, as does also the Golden, an Oregon seed- 

 ling. The fruit of the Hungarian (Pond) is very hand- 



