276 THE STONE FRUITS 



Some species of plums, and particularly the Marianna, grow 

 very easily from hard-wood cuttings. Many cuttings from 

 these species are made every year and are used for stocks on 

 which to bud the named varieties. 



Soil. — The plum will succeed on any kind of a soil. Next 

 to the apple, perhaps the European plum can be profitably 

 grown on a greater range 'of soils than almost any other fruit. 

 When we consider the American and the Japanese varieties 

 it becomes an easy matter to select a plum that can be 

 grown practically everywhere. 



The domestica plums generally do the best on a rather 

 heavy clay loam. If this class of soil is well drained and com- 

 paratively warm it is also an ideal soil for the European 

 varieties. 



The Japanese varieties prefer a lighter soil than the 

 European sorts. A light sandy loam that is warm and friable 

 is best suited to the Japanese varieties. In fact, they will 

 do comparatively well on a soil that is largely sand. 



The Americana and the Miner groups require about the 

 same kind of soil. A rich heavy loam is preferred. A small 

 amount of sand is not injurious and does not interfere with 

 their growth if the climate is favorable. 



The Wild Goose types and their close relati^•es have a dis- 

 taste for cold, heavy, clay soils. A rich sandy loam is pref- 

 erable, although they do well on a great ^'ariety of the looser 

 types of soil. 



Planting. — The selection of a good tree should receive the 

 first attention in planting. A twf)-year-old plum tree is planted 

 in most cases, although there are certain southern sections 

 where one-year-old Japanese trees are large enough to plant. 

 All trees should be of good quality and healthy and budded 

 on the stock which best suits your individual requirements. 



The distance apart for planting the plum \-aries according 

 to the variety, the soil and the locality. Where the ground 

 is rich the trees must be set farther apart than where the soil 

 is poor. Some of the smaller upright growing varieties can 

 be set 15 x 18 feet while other more \igorous growing sort 

 should be planted 18 x 20 feet apart, and occasionally 

 20 X 25 feet is not too much space for the trees. 



