274 [Assembly 



times die without apparent cause. They grow in six or eight years 

 to eighteen feet or more in height, eight or ten inches diameter in the 

 trunk, and eighteen or twenty feet across the branches. The birds 

 and flies, however, often lay claim to a large share of the best of the 

 fruit. 



The May-Duke is a regular and great bearer, ripening in succession 

 on the same tree ; Belle de Choisy, very good, but shy bearer; Roy- 

 al Duke does well ; Kentish Morello bears abundantly and regularly. 



Black Eagle is one of the richest and best flavored ; Black Tar- 

 tarian, large and one of the best ; Honey Heart, small, but good 

 bearer; Elton, tender fleshed and of best quality. 



Bigarreau or Yellow Spanish, White Bigarreau or White Ox 

 Heart, Holland Bigarreau, Flesh colored Bigarreau, Tradescants 

 Black Heart or Elkhorn and American Heart are about all the firm- 

 fleshed varieties cultivated with us. They are shy bearers generally, 

 but the fruit is large and good ; probably they produce more abundant- 

 ly on heavier soils. (AH, except White Bigarreau, bear most abun- 

 dantly in the heavy loam of the Hudson. Chairman Gen. Fruit Com.) 



Plums. 



A dozen years ago the opinion was very general that plums could 

 not be raised at New-Haven and its vicinity on account of the dis- 

 ease known by the name of knots or warts. The disease, however, 

 has gradually subsided, and plums are now raised, both in size and 

 quality, to the satisfaction of all who are so fortunate as not to have 

 them destroyed by the curculio. Various experiments for the de- 

 struction of this insect, or to prevent its injuring the fruit, have hith- 

 erto proved ineffectual, unless a preventive recently discovered by 

 one of your committee shall prove, as it fairly promises, to be en- 

 tirely effectual. 



The following are most of the varieties cultivated : Green Gage, 

 best ; trees grow rather slowly, but they are free and regular bearers 

 and the fruit is decidedly the best ; Washington, Yellow Gage, Go- 

 liath, Buel, Huling's Superb and Jeff"erson, take the same rank; Coe/s 

 Golden Drop and Imperial Gage, decay on the tree; Smith's Orleans, 

 Bieecker's Gage, Emerald Drop, Dominie Dull and Lombard, very 

 good; Royal de Tours, very good, but shy bearer; Frost Gage is 

 of best quality; White Magnum Bonum very good for preserves; 

 Damsons good. 



