230 CHERRIES AND PLUMS 



such as some of the Japanese varieties. Avoid keeping branches 

 that are opposite each other; this tends to cause more severe 

 splitting when branches are loaded with fruit. 



The annual pruning should consist of thinning out the head, 

 removing dead branches, and cutting away diseased parts and 

 removing all mummied fruits if any. Cut back the long leaders 

 that have made too imjeh growth. Keep the tree as symmetrical 

 as possible without losing the other points mentioned. Never 

 allow stubs to be formed by the pruner. Make all cuts as close as 

 possible to the main branches so that the wounds may be easily 

 healed over. 



Cultivating the Orchard. — The first few years a crop should be 

 grown between the trees which will require clean cultivation. 

 Plant beans, peas, early potatoes, early cabbage or other similar 

 crops. After the trees are old enough to bear, the inter-crop may be 

 discontinued if the trees are large. Clean culture should be given 

 the orchard if the best results are to be attained. A winter cover 

 crop may be sown in midsummer to cover the soil, to prevent 

 washing, to save the fertility for next year, and to make a carpet 

 over the ground for the pruning and spraying operations of winter. 



The cover crop may be turned under in the spring as green 

 manure. This will serve as fertilizer for the trees that season. If 

 the soil is well suited to the type of plums grown, probably no 

 other fertilizer will need to be added. In case the soil is rather too 

 light some commercial fertilizer or barnyard manure maybe applied 

 in addition to the green manure. 



Harvesting the Crop. — 'With some varieties it is difficult to pick 

 the crop at just the right time. So many of the fruits may ripen 

 ahead of others that they will need to be watched and picked at 

 intervals through several weeks. If they are for home use or to be 

 sold on the local market they should be allowed to ripen as far as 

 possible on the trees without dropping to the ground. If they 

 are to be shipped some distance they may be picked much earlier 

 and will usually complete their ripening fairly well after picking. 

 Many varieties of Japanese and European plums will ripen more 

 uniformly and fewer pickings will be necessary than with the 

 American varieties. 



The fruit is commonly picked in large Climax baskets, with 

 wooden handles, hanging from the left arm. These will prevent 

 the bruising of the fruit if the picker is careful. Small, round 

 baskets holding from one peck to one-half bushel, made of rigid 



