70 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



matured one hundred perfect plums to the square foot, size, 

 medium ; color, beautiful ; light purple on a yellow ground work, 

 ripening from first to tenth of September. In point of quality 

 nothing equals or surpasses the Yellow Japan, whicii ripens from 

 one to two weeks earlier, is larger, but I fear may not be quite so 

 hardy, but in general color and beauty excel them all. Another 

 received under the name of Botan, and which we labeled No. 26 to 

 avoid confusion, while the poorest of all in quality ripens about 

 July lath, and being so early, p;oductive, and ver}' hard}', seems to 

 be finding its way iuto favor with no effort to push it, and may be 

 regarded as having value in sections where hardiness is essential. 

 As it seems impossible to trace its origin save from an importation 

 of scions that came in from San Francisco several years since from 

 Japan, one of my friends who has been interested in its dissemina- 

 tion, has seen fit to name it the "Willard Plum." 



The terms hardiness, however, as applied to the plums we raise, 

 is so little understood that a word in this connection ma}' not be 

 out of place. INIy observation and experience has taught me that 

 a variety pronounced hardy in ordinary seasons and carrying its 

 fruit buds safely through 20° below zero weather, if by the work of 

 fungi or other causes, is defoliated early, so that its wood fails to 

 be properly matured will show extreme tenderness and suffer in a 

 mild winter so as to fail of a crop the following season, and this 

 feature, if carefully watched and understood, will often account 

 for the varied reports often had as to hardiness, or lack of same, 

 on the same variety grown in different sections and under different 

 circumstances, and suggests the idea whether or no the judicious 

 application of proper plant food at regular periods may not aid 

 materially in the development of such a growth as is needed to pro- 

 duce those essential conditions required to make what we denomi- 

 nate as hardy trees. I am in receipt of scores of letters annually, 

 inquiring if 1 think plums may be successfully grown on their soil 

 or in their latitude. Jf south of New York city I invariably say 

 very doubtful, but if in latitude forty-four or a little south or north 

 with other required conditions, the probabilities are in your favor. 

 As to soil, if provided with I he proper elements, it seems to make 

 but little difference whether composed of the heavy loam of West- 

 ern New Yoik or the light sands of Michigan found on the eastern 

 shores of that great lake. Some of the finest crops I have ever 

 seen produced have been grown on those light soils, and hundreds 



