Three New Plums of Merit 



Ever since the summer of 1900 this superb hybrid shipping plum has been under careful 

 investigation on the experimental farm each season and the trees have never failed to produce a 

 good crop of fine large fruit. Neither the fruit or the trees have shown any disease or defect 

 during all this test, and at the same time of this writing. July 25, 1907, are again loaded with 

 large, beautiful fruit. While the trees do not make such a phenomenal growth as the Formosa, 

 yet the trees are vigorous and productive. Gaviota trees are rather upright in growth 

 until they have grown several successive crops, when the branches take a more weeping habit, 

 but not more so than other plum trees which bear so heavily. 



Gaviota, is a late bloomer, hence always escapes every emergency, produc- 

 ing each season a full crop even when nearly all others fail from late spring 

 frosts or rains during the blooming period. The fruit is of a deep reddish purple 

 when ripe. Flesh remarkably firm, honey yellow, very fragrant and sweet and 

 of excellent quality. 



One of the very best shipping plums, keeping fully as well as the always 

 popular VVickson and Burbank and ripening up well a week or more after being 

 picked green. Its season here is July 15 to August 5, with the Wickson, and just 

 after Santa Rosa. This thoroughly tested variety will take its place as one of the 

 best shipping plums. 



Distribution and Soils. The Plum being among the hardiest of the stone 

 fruits, it is reasonable to suppose that the Gaviota will grow in a climate where 

 zero weather prevails, requiring possibly in the colder regions some protection 

 during the winter months. It succeeds best in a good sandy or loamy soil, with 

 an open well drained subsoil. In planting, the ground should be well broken up 

 by thorough plowing, and the holes dug sufficiently large to enable the roots to 

 spread and grow. In a rich soil the growth is apt to be vigorous, requiring 

 pruning much like our suggestions with the Formosa. Low pruning is the re- 

 cognized method in California. In planting we always advise that the general 

 system and oare bestowed on the most successful plum orchards in any given 

 locality be duly observed and followed. 



THE VESUVIUS 



The tree is worthy of its name, for its color is so surpassingly beautiful 

 that while it excites admiration at a distance, closer examination only intensi- 

 fies the first expression of delight which its beautiful foilage is sure to arouse. 

 It is somewhat like Prunus pissardi, the old Purple - Leaved Plum, but so su- 

 perior that the old purple-leaved plum will become obsolete. Its fruit is of a 

 deep rich color, possessed of a pleasant acid flavor. It is not a very prolific bearer, 

 hence we recommend it only as a striking foliage tree worthy of a place in 

 every garden and park. We give Mr. Burbank' s description and do not believe 

 that we can add anything further except to say that we endorse all his state- 

 ments excepting that he does not do full justice to this most beautiful foliage 

 tree: 



The Prunus pissardi, a crimson-leaved form of the Prunus myrobalana introduced twenty 

 years ago, is the only good purple-leaved plum generally known. For the past eighteen years 

 have been raising hybrids of this and Americana and Japan plums, hundreds of which are 



