Common Fruits Return Liberal Profits 



Profits in common fruit are easily five times as much as 

 in grain farming. Farmers often fail, however, with ap- 

 ples, cherries, plums and the like because they treat them 

 as a side issue and give no real work or intelligent at- 

 tention to their orchards. 



Every farmer should have from two to twenty acres of 

 fruit and the trees should be cared for systematically. 

 If this is done the profit will amount to $200 an acre or 

 more, three seasons out of four. 



Plums will grow on any land suitable for the produc- 

 tion of ordinary farm crops. It should be sloping or have 

 good drainage. The Japanese sorts do best on light soils. 

 Many are self-sterile, therefore varieties should be 

 planted intermixed. Set the trees close, say eighteen feet 

 apart. They do best under tillage and will be good for 

 twenty years or so. They need more water than many 

 other kinds of fruit. Feed the trees and thin the fruit; 

 also cut out black knot. Spray with lime-sulphur solu- 

 tion and arsenate for most troubles. The best plums for 

 commercial planting are obtainable from all reliable 



dealers. 



The German prune is subject to black knot, but this can 

 be fairly well controlled by cutting out. Italian and 

 German prunes are best of all for cooking. They ship 

 well and will long remain standard commercial plums. 



In Europe the plum takes the first place among fruits ; 

 here it is considered comparatively unimportant ; and its 

 culture is confined within narrow limits. It can be made 

 very profitable. 



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