208 buist's family kitchen gardener. 



If the general nature of the soil is sandy, it will be benefited 

 by a compost of very old manure and meadow earth, in equal 

 proportions, being incorporated with it, where the trees are to 

 be planted. 



Propagation is done with the greatest facility by planting 

 the stones in the month of October, about an inch deep. These 

 vegetate the following season, and can be transplanted into a 

 convenient part of the garden in rows, to be budded the second 

 year, in the month of July, in a period of cloudy, moist weather. 

 They can also be grafted very early in Spring, by either whip 

 or wedge grafting, as recommended for the Apple ; but it must 

 be observed, that stone-fruit does not take so readily by graft- 

 ing as budding. Useless varieties of the Plum should be cut 

 back, as advised for the Pear ; they will then make vigorous 

 shoots, a portion of which can be saved and budded with choice 

 varieties.' Where there is not much room, and a variety of 

 fruit wanted, we strongly advise several sorts of fruit to be 

 worked on one tree ; by adopting this practice with all kinds of 

 fruit trees, a great variety can be obtained in a very small 

 space. In favorable soils their growth is rapid. There is, 

 within fifty feet of where I write, a tree thirteen years from 

 the stone, that is budded with four sorts, produces a large 

 crop every season, is now thirty feet high, and two feet from 

 the ground the stem measures three feet in circumference. 



Pruning is performed as directed for Pears ; but large am- 

 putations should only be made in July, August, or Sep- 

 tember. At that period the wounds will readily heal over. 



Insects. — The great and only foe of this tree is the Curcu- 

 lio, or Plum-Weevil. A preventive to its ravages has not 

 been discovered. We observe trees planted in pavements, or 

 near to dwellings, are not so subject to its attack as those in 

 cultivated ground or gardens. Some kinds are also more sub- 

 ject to it than others. With us, the following are entirely de- 



