96 SUCCESSFUL FRUIT CULTURE 



to. the attack of insects and fungous pests that they 

 cannot be grown except by the best attention and skill. 

 The best soil for the growth of this group is a deep, 

 moist loam, though they will grow under a great variety 

 of conditions. It is of the greatest importance that the 

 trees be planted in full exposure to air and sunlight, 

 which will in a great measure counteract the tendency 

 to rotting of the fruit and the growth of the black knot. 

 It is better to plant on a light soil with such an expos- 

 ure, than on heavy land if low and in a close, sheltered 

 place. 



JAPANESE PLUMS 



The Japanese plums are as vigorous in growth as 

 the peach, begin bearing as young and are being planted 

 largely. In quality the fruit is not as good as the 

 European varieties, and it is subject to the same 

 diseases and insects, but owing to the short time it 

 requires to grow the trees to fruiting and their great 

 productiveness, they may perhaps be more profitable 

 than the former, even with the varieties now grown, 

 and if out of the many new varieties now being offered, 

 with great claims for quality, are found those equal 

 to the best of the European, this group may entirely 

 supersede the latter. The soil best suited to the growth 

 of the Japanese plums is about the same as that for 

 the peach, but perhaps a little richer and deeper. Nearly 

 all varieties are subject to the brown rot, the black knot 

 and the shot-hole fungus, and possibly to the disease 

 known as the peach yellows, and it is important thai 

 they be planted in full exposure to air and sunlight. 

 This group is largely propagated upon the peach 

 stock, and generally does well on this stock, but 

 whether this, the American or tlie Myrobalan stocks 

 are the best no one has conclusively proved by careful 

 experiments. 



