DWYEE'S GUIDE. 33 



ably larger, carry and sell better in market. They are superior for can- 

 ning and fully as rich in flavor, consequently just as desirable as a de- 

 sert and in its natural state. We have fruited several hundred trees 

 during the past three years, and it was a common occurrence to pick half a 

 bushel of choice fruit from three and four year ola trees of Abundance, 

 Burbank and other varieties; this, too, after we had thinned out two- 

 thirds of the fruit from the trees. This thinning is of absolute necessity 

 to get choice fruit and to keep the trees from breaking down ■with an 

 overload of fruit. The fruit should be thinned when it is about the size 

 of a walnut or about one-third grown. To get the best fruit and avoid 

 rotting, no two specimens sihould touch each otier at any time. 



Pruning. — This must be practiced yearly with a heavy hand. In 

 fact it is next to impossible to get the average horticulturist to cut back 

 these trees as they should be treated. As before stated, they are rampant 

 growers, and such sorts as Burbank will make a wood growth of from 

 six to twelve feet each season. If this is not kept in check it will soon 

 make a large tree that will exhaust itself trying to mature a superfluous 

 quantity of fruit, inconsistent with its age and capabilities. Then this 

 heavy annual pruning and heading back, is of itself somewhat detrimental 

 to the welfare of the trees; therefore, in the case of these Japan Plums, 

 we would suggest and advise Summer and early Autumn pinching back 

 of the leading and lateral branches; just when and how to do this must be 

 determined by the variety and the growth it has made. 



Fertilizers — The best food for these Plums is that heretofore recom- 

 mended for the peach; unleached wood ashes, nitrate of soda, pure 

 ground bone and any good make of complete fertilizer. Stable manure 

 can be used sparingly, otherwise we will get an over-abundance of wood. 



Spraying — This should be properly looked after, using the Bordeaux 

 mixture as heretofore recommended. Spraying and thinning of the fruit 

 is of primary importance, as they both are necessary as preventatives to 

 the rotting of the fruit, especially in moist and otherwise unfavorable 

 seasons. We want to urge the advisability of heading these trees quite 

 close to the surface of the ground, not over two feet, or about the same as 

 the Peach tree. This method, is of necessity to make the trees strong, 

 solid and bulky near the roots, to prevent injury from high winds, heav- 

 ing, overbearing and other causes. 



Distance Apart — For commercial orcharding. Plum Trees should be 

 planted twenty feet apart each way. In the home orchard they may be 

 planted twelve to fifteen feet apart. By a little extra pruning back they 

 can be fruited at these distances for a number of years, and in fact in- 

 definitely without interfering. By keeping them in semi-dwarf state we 

 will get large, choice fruit. 



Xhe Right Soil. — The Plum will grow and thrive on a great variety of 

 soil, but as a matter of fact it attains its greatest perfection on heavy, 

 loose, pliable land. It is a fact that the trees live longer and bear longer 

 and more regularly on this character of ground. The Japan Plums have 

 never failed us on any soil, and we have grown and fruited them with 

 satisfactory results on all kinds of land, except the pure sand. The trees 

 will not thrive on wet ground. 



Black Knot This is one of the Plum's greatest enemies. Happily 



the Japan Plums are not as susceptible to it as the European varieties, In 

 fact the winter's trees have been quite immune from it. yet we find that 

 occassionally it does attack the Japan varieties. The only way, of course, 

 to cope with this disease is to cut off, remove and burn the parts thus 



