November Autumn Work for Summer 



Concerning Plums. My experience of Plums, if one 

 excepts some of the prolific cooking varieties, is that 

 they are somewhat erratic in fruit-bearing. They crop 

 better when planted together than when isolated, and 

 the reader should study the lists on page 76 to ascertain 

 which are the self - fertile varieties. They may be 

 grown as standards or pyramids, or on a wall facing 

 west or east ; in cold gardens the shelter of a wall is 

 necessary. Planting firmly in soil that has not been 

 manured, and in which lime - rubble has been mixed 

 freely, is an important consideration, for young trees 

 often make such vigorous growth as to become un- 

 fruitful, and the malady known as "gumming" may 

 then attack the branches. It is advisable to lift all 

 young fruit trees each autumn, for the first few years 

 after planting, if they form thick, unfruitful shoots; 

 otherwise they soon become unmanageable, and it is 

 almost hopeless, or at least takes a long time, to bring 

 them back to a fruitful condition. The uppermost 

 roots ought not to be covered with more than 2 or 3 

 inches of soil. A few of the most satisfactory dessert 

 Plums are Kirke's (purple), Jefferson (greenish-yellow), 

 Reine Claude de Bavay (greenish), Transparent Gage 

 (orange yellow and green), Coe's Golden Drop (yellow, 

 dotted with red), Oullin's Golden Gage (yellow), Green 

 Gage (greenish) and Bryanston Gage (greenish-yellow). 

 All these are well worth planting against a wall, but 

 especially Coe's Golden Drop (of which the fruits should 

 be allowed to hang until they are slightly shrivelled), 

 Jefferson, Transparent Gage, Reine Claude de Bavay 

 and Green Gage. Kirke's is perhaps the best of all for 

 the amateur's garden. Among cooking Plums good sorts 

 are Victoria (red, an immense cropper), The Czar (dark 

 purple), Rivers' Early Prolific (purplish), Pond's Seedling 

 (pale red), Monarch (purple) and President (dark purple). 



Peach and Nectarine. These delicious fruits need 

 a south or west wall, even in southern counties, and 

 a 81 



