THE PLUM. 



Prunus domestica, L. Rosacece of Botanists. 



THE Plum is found in a wild state throughout the middle sections 

 of this country, but the original parent of the cultivated varieties is 

 supposed to have come from Asia Minor. The fact of production in 

 our States of many varieties esteemed among the best, attests the 

 adaptedness of both soil and climate. 



Propagation. By Seed. The gathering, preserving, and planting 

 of the plum is the same as we have described under head of peaches, 

 to which, therefore, we refer the reader. Of the best varieties for 

 producing stocks on which to bud, any free-growing sorts may be 

 taken ; avoiding, except when wanted for forming dwarf trees, those 

 of slow habit, and in all cases avoiding the damsons. The wild red 

 or yellow (P. Americana) is much used by many nurserymen, but it 

 should always be worked just at or rather below the collar. Seed- 

 lings from it often answer to work the same season, and we have 

 seen them used with advantage as stocks for the peach. The 

 Chickasaw (P. Chicasa) is used at the South, where it is a native. 

 New varieties have thus far been produced from chance seedlings ; 

 no person, to our knowledge, in this country, having exerted them- 

 selves to the production of varieties with any special view to the 

 preserving of separate or combined characters. 



By Budding. The plum is generally and best propagated in its 

 varieties by budding. This should be performed in the month of 

 July. Strong stocks of free-growing sorts should be especially 

 selected for inserting buds of such varieties as Green Gage, Purple 

 Favorite, &c., &c. 



By Grafting. Where budding can be done, we should prefer 

 never to graft. But it not unfrequently happens among nursery- 

 men, that owing to some causes buds fail, and this, too, when the 

 stocks, if left to another budding season, would become too large. 

 They may therefore be grafted with success and profit, by cutting 

 them off just at the collar, and grafting early in the month of March, 

 drawing the earth up around the graft, and leaving only one bud out. 

 Tan, bark, saw-dust, or other mulch should be placed on the ground, 

 and free-growing sorts, as Imperial Gage, Lombard, &c., should only 

 be used. Grafting on pieces of roots is sometimes practiced, and as 

 successfully, if free-growing kinds only are used, as in the apple j it 

 is also done in same way we cannot recommend it. 



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