FRUITS VARIETIES AND CULTURE. 615 



and wholesome, but in an unripe state are more apt to 

 disagree with the stomach than most other fruits. 



Prunes are dried by artificial heat. They are laid 

 singly, without touching each other, on plates, which are 

 placed in ovens, after the bread is removed, or in kilns 

 prepared for the purpose, and occasionally moved and 

 turned. In order to have them fair and glossy, they must 

 be suddenly cooled when taken from the oven. They 

 should be dried carefully and gradually. They are excel- 

 lent when dried with sugar, as directed for peaches. 

 From the analysis of the stones, bark, leaves and wood, 

 it is evident that common salt is one of the most essential 

 manures to apply to the soil in which the plum is culti- 

 vated. Burnt clay, swamp muck, common salt, and wood 

 ashes are among the best fertilizers. 



Propagation and Culture. — The plum is generally bud- 

 ded or grafted upon stocks raised from the seed of some 

 free-growing variety. The Chickasaw plum, however, 

 makes a very good stock; it should be grafted at the 

 collar, and transplanted so deep that the scions can 

 throw out roots. This stock makes very pretty dwarf 

 trees for the garden. By this mode, the tree can be pro- 

 pagated at any time during the winter months. 



Stone fruits require to be grafted early in the season. 

 In transplanting where they are to remain they should 

 be twelve feet apart. The best soil for the plum is a 

 heavy clay loam, moderately rich. As the plum throws 

 out long, straggling branches, which are unsightly and 

 unproductive, this should be remedied by shortening in, 

 as with the peach, so as to form a round, compact head. 

 Most stone fruits require to be shortened in, more or less, 

 or the growth becomes unsightly and the tree short-lived. 

 It is an excellent plan, where practicable, to plant a 

 tree or two near the door of the house and kitchen, where 

 there is considerable passing and repassing, and the 



