1867. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



157 



COLUMBIAN GAGE PLUM. 



This fruit was originated by Mr. L. U. Law- 

 rence, of Hudson, N. Y., from seed of the 

 Green Gage. It ranks as the best of the large, 

 dark colored varieties of the plum. Down- 

 ing, who is the best authority in regard to 

 fruit originated in New York, says of it : — 

 "The tree is remarkable for its very strong, 

 blunt shoots, large, roundish leaves, and the 

 spreading, horizontal form of its head. It is 

 also highly productive. Branches and upper 

 sides of the leaves downy. Fruit of the largest 

 size, six or seven inches in circumference, 

 nearly globular, one-half rather larger than 

 the other. Skin brownish purple, dotted with 

 numerous fawn-colored specks, and covered 

 with much blue bloom, through which appears 

 a reddish brown tint, on the shaded side. 

 Stalk about an inch long, rather stout, in- 

 serted in a rather small cavity. Flesh orange, 

 not very juicy, but when at full maturity, very 

 rich, sugary and excellent. The flesh sepa- 

 rates freely from the stone, which is small and 

 compressed." Ripens in New England early 

 in September. 



Our engraving is an accurate copy of a spe- 

 cimen of the plum, gathered by us from a tree 

 in the garden of Mr. Henry Vandine, at Cam- 

 bridgeport. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 "WHEAT CULTURE. 

 The high price of flour and its excellence as 

 an article of food, bread being the stafl'of life, 

 should stimulate every farmer to its cultivation. 

 In some portions of New England, there is 

 considerable prejudice in regard to the culti- 

 vation of wheat. INIany, having tried once or 

 perhaps twice and having failed, declare that 

 it cannot be raised, or at least, successfully. 

 I, however, believe that wheat can be profit- 

 ably cultivated by most farmers in New Eng- 

 land, although it needs some experience in 

 order to raise a good crop of wheat as well as 

 any other crop. In saying this I do not wish 

 to be understood that wheat can be grown on 

 every kind of soil, for it cannot. Still I do 

 believe that most of us can and ought to pro- 

 duce our own flour. Wheat ought to be raised, 

 not only for its excellence as an article of food, 

 but when successfully cultivated, it is a very 

 profitable crop, uiore so than any other grain 

 crop. Moreover, it exhausts the laud less than 



