122 Pomological Gossip. 



us ; it riots in good living in a not too light soil ; indeed, 

 both the Cherry and the Plum luxuriate in a stiff clay loam 

 that is well worked and drained, and contains a full share of 

 the inorganic constituents which composed it. The chief 

 emd only enemy it has to contend with, is the Curculio. Of 

 the many receipts that have been chronicled as certain cure, 

 none with us, other than the mesmeric manipulation of that 

 veteran Pomologist, David Thomas, ^^ stays put. ^^ That is, 

 catch them and draw, if you please, their proboscis. — Paving, 

 salt, sulphur, «fcc. &c., are of no avail ; the truth is, the ani- 

 mal flies, and is abundantly found in our Western woods. 

 In close settled districts, cities and towns, would our plum- 

 loving friends be industrious for a few seasons, the race, I 

 am satisfied, might be annihilated. In my own case, where, 

 a few years since, they ruined every plum and apricot, they 

 have, by this method of the spread sheet, &c., nearly disap- 

 peared ; last season I paid a penny each for every specimen ; 

 this season I can well pay in plums. 



We have, I am sorry to see, harbored among us, a great 

 many mongrel seedlings, many of which, I have no doubt, 

 are from the Green Gage, being somewhat larger, some re- 

 sembling Bleeker's Gage, others, Prince's yellow Gage, and 

 again like the Drap d'Or. None, however, are equal to the 

 parent, or the varieties mentioned, and whose good name 

 they have pilfered. In flavor, they have no marked char- 

 acter, but a sickish, clammy, unwholesome dry flesh. 



The varieties most esteemed are, — Washington, Lawrence's 

 Favorite, Bleeker's Gage, Green Gage, (seldom found true,) 

 Purple Favorite, Coe's Golden Drop, Prince's yellow Gage, 

 Diapree Rouge, and for a late plum for preserves. Frost Gage, 

 and for the same purpose we might add the White Magnum 

 Bonum, from its fine size and color. The balance of the 

 Magnum Bonum and Egg family are coarse, tasteless, and 

 valueless cumberers of the ground." 



Dr. Wendell has made a slight mistake in regard to the 

 origin of Gutheries' Apricot Plum. It was not raised at 

 Guthcrie, but was produced hij Mr. Gutherie, of Tay Bank, 

 Scotland, who also raised several other sorts which promise 

 well. 



