128 tTATE rOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



PROPAGATION AND CULTURE OF THE PLUM. 

 By J. E. Bennoch. 



Plums for the past few years have not, in my section of the State,, 

 been on the increase, but rather sadly on the decline ; and I think,, 

 with the exception of some few localities, it has been very generally 

 so. With me the fruit has been scarce for the past few years, but 

 previous to that I have usually raised line crops of this fruit. 



My experience with plums — which has been extended over quite 

 a period of years — shows that after a certain age they become shy 

 bearers, owing, no doubt, to the fact that they have performed the 

 offices of their nature and are no longer useful. On the whole the 

 plum tree is of short life, especially on the plum stock, or on its 

 own roots. The trees also show decay very rapidly. I find mj' 

 best plum trees are upon the pomegranate stock or roots. I also find 

 that I gather larger and fairer crops and of larger fruit in most if 

 not quite all cases, and that the tree is also of longer life. What 

 plum orchards I call to mind at present are from the Woodstock, N. 

 B., nurseries and I am ver}- sure their roots are the pomegranate. 

 One very bad fault with the pomegranate is that it throws up large 

 quantities of suckers from its roots, which I have noticed is not en- 

 tirely so with stocks raised from the stone-seed but generally so with 

 suckers that have been apart from roots ; and these sucker very badly 

 and at long distance from the mother tree. My last grafting and 

 setting of trees are strictly from seed growth, and in fact all graft- 

 ing of whatever sort or variety of tree growth should be from seed 

 growth and on such. 



The best soil for the plum is that of a clay nature, and to in- 

 sure good crops the strongest and best manures should be used. 

 Dressing from the hog-pen and poultry houses is the best that can 

 be used ; also a yearly ration of salt must not be forgotten. Poultr}- 

 and pigs should be detailed as policemen in the plum orchard to ar- 

 rest the grower's enemy and the plum destroyer, the little monster 

 curculio. The pig and the poultry will leave none to tell the tale 

 the next year ; and in cases where there are no plum orchards in 

 close proximity, one 3'ear, or rather one season's work they will not 

 show up, for three or four years, to do but little harm. I think as 

 a general thing plum trees are Dot so well understood as are other 



