No. 129.] 523 



The consumption of madder in the United States is now very 

 large in dying and printing cotton goods, and I know of no reason 

 why it cannot be successfully raised in this country. Mr. Han- 

 na's four horse machine may prove to be valuable, and, like the 

 American Horse Reaper, may overcome the disadvantage of high 

 wages. 



Thinking the foregoing account of the cultivation of madder at 

 the west may perhaps be of service, I submit it to the society. 



CALEB SWAN. 



Professor Mapes. — The subject of the day is Plum, Apricot 

 and Nectarine. I will say a few words. Our garden plums had 

 their parentage in Asia and southern Europe, but they are now 

 naturalized in this country. The soil of our middle States is 

 particularly well suited to plums. The Jefferson, the Lawrence's 

 favorite and the Washington plums prove that. They are equal 

 to any of the plums of Europe. There are three kinds, indige- 

 nous to this country. The Chickasaw plmn, (Prunus Chicaca, 

 Michaux.) The dwarf Texas plum is the same. The wild red 

 or yellow plum, (Prunus americana, Marshall.) The Beach pluvi 

 or Sand plum. (Prunus maritima, Waug.) 



The uses of this fruit. — As a dessert fruit it is not so digestible 

 as the peach, unless it is positively fully ripe. Used for pies 

 and tarts. Dried plums, for sweetmeats. In the south of France 

 the plum is fermented with honey and distilled. 



It should never be eaten unless ripened on the tree. The size 

 very much increased by thinning out when they are about half 

 grown, no two plums should be allowed to touch each other on 

 the tree, for one of them will probably rot. As is well known 

 the dried fruit from Europe are plums by the name of prunes. — 

 As to the culture. The stocks should be raised from the seeds 

 of any free growing sons of plums, except the damson, which can- 

 not be worked. The stocks should be budded when two years old, 

 with the finer sorts. The seeds or stones should be planted (as 

 soon as they are gathered,) ia broad drills, as in planting peas, 

 and one inch and a half deep. In the following autumn, remove 

 JJQem to the nursery rows and bud them the coming mid-sum- 



