STATE POMOLOCiICAI. SOCIETY. 120 



fruit trees. I am of the opinion that phun trees need and should 

 have an annual fall top-pruning, the same as the pear for instance, 

 I think in the month of October. What is meant by top-pruning 

 is the cutting or nipping back of the present year's growth to from 

 two to six buds all through the tree, which tends to strengthen and 

 develop the fruit buds, while in a year of heavy growth of wood 

 the buds would not develop, as in many erases fall pruning lessens 

 wood growth and develops fruit growth. Where a tree is backward 

 in wood growth, and it is wanted, cut back from the terminal bud in 

 the spring, and if the ground is in fair condition 3'ou are quite sure 

 to get it. 



I have known some plum trees to be quite a number of years de- 

 veloping their fruit buds, and making also but very little wood that 

 is of strong growth, but rather short and quite plenty ; when, if this 

 growth had lieen nipped back and about one-half of such growth 

 spoken of had been entirely cut out of the two years' wood, I think 

 the tree would have set a crop of plums the next year. 



To meet with success in plum raising the trees should be set in 

 orchards by themselves. In this case they can be cared for moi'c easilj' 

 and with less trouble than by being grown here and there with other 

 fruit trees. In starting stocks for the plum I should use pomegranate 

 stone-seed stock to graft upon and graft on the collar for the plum. 

 In the pursuit of new varieties I should use plum seed, and it is the 

 only way for experimental purposes. The stock for grafting upon 

 should be worked at two years' old growth ; the next year from the 

 pip the stock sliould be nipped back so as to give a strong growth 

 on the collar for purposes of grafting. This should be done from the last 

 of June to August. Seed for testing purposes should be from large, 

 fine varieties, such as McLaughlin, Smith's Orleans, Washington, 

 Coe's Golden Drop, Duane's Purple, and other good varieties ; the 

 large fruit of the plum in all cases bring the best prices. 



Plum trees as a general thing are quite hardy, until old age ar- 

 rives with them, and then their infirmities onlj' end with their death. 

 When they begin to show signs of feebleness it is time to replace 

 with younger and more vigorous trees. Of the fine and valuable 

 varieties there are manj- to select from — those above mentioned be- 

 ing among the best. There are some diseases peculiar to the plum 

 tree, such as black knot, oozing of what is called gum, which last 

 shows the tree to be in a diseased condition of the stock. Black 



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