ROEDING'S FRUIT GROWERS' GUIDE 



19 



absence of laterals and to have all the fruit spurs on the 

 upper limbs. Where the trees are not cut back this is 

 just what happens. After a number of years, depending 

 on the vigor of the tree, practically no new wood is 

 being made, there is apparently a lacking in vitality, 

 the blossoms are weak, and there is a general debility in 

 the tree. There is only one recourse then cut the 

 tree back and build a new top and be out of a crop for 

 at least three years until the tree is again back where it 

 belongs. 



THINNING 



As a rule it is not customary to thin plums. Com- 

 mercially, very good fruit can be grown without doing 

 this work. Nevertheless, there is no use denying the 



A six-year-old Plum tree. A fine type of a tree. 



fact that much finer and more uniform fruit will be pro- 

 duced where this is resorted to. For the man who 

 wishes to maintain a degree of quality and establish a 

 standard for his fruit, it is very essential that thinning 

 be done. 



GATHERING 



For shipment to distant markets, plums should be 

 picked while they are still hard and have taken on some 

 color. For local shipments or for table use they should 

 be mature, well colored but not soft. 



IRRIGATION 



While the trees are young, the same care in the matter 

 of irrigating should be given to them as to any other 

 young trees. Just bear in mind that in the interior 



valleys they must have more water than is necessary in 

 the coast counties, where there are fogs, more moisture 

 in the air and less evaporation from the soil because of 

 the difference in climatic conditions. Plums are very 

 much subject to the attack of a minute red spider, which 

 weaves a web on the under-side of the leaves. When 

 they become very numerous, and they propagate very 

 freely in the warm weather, the leaves turn brown and 

 finally drop off. This, of course, retards the growth of 

 the tree. All that is necessary to control the pest is to 

 spray the trees with water and then apply, powdered 

 sulphur. To hold it in check it may be necessary to 

 attend to this several times during the summer months, 

 but under no consideration should the work be delayed 

 later than the middle of June. 



COMMERCIAL VARIETIES FOR SHIPPING 



Beauty, Burbank, Climax, Clyman, Diamond, Giant, 

 Grand Duke, Formosa, Gaviota, Kelsey Japan, Presi- 

 dent, Santa Rosa, Satsuma, Wickson, Yellow Egg. 



COMMERCIAL VARIETIES FOR CANNING 



Jefferson, Imperial Gage, Washington, Yellow Egg, 

 Bavay's Green Gage. 



TIME OF RIPENING 

 Maturing in Each Month in About the Order Named 



June 



Clyman, Cherry, Beauty, Apex Plumcot, Climax, 

 Rutland Plumcot, Bartlett, Santa Rosa, Burbank. 



July 



Abundance, Bartlett, Formosa, Gaviota, Simon, 

 Anita, Satsuma, Wickson. 



August 



Washington, Diamond, Apple, Grand Duke, Jefferson, 

 Giant, Yellow Egg, Bavay's Green Gage, Kelsey Japan, 

 Red Egg. 



September 



President, Bradshaw, Shropshire Damson. 



The Santa Eosa Plum, one of the leading varieties of 

 shipping plums a Burbank introduction. 



