PLUM 



HABDY PBUIT GARDEN 



PLUM 1071 



fairly good eating, while for tarts &c. they 

 are excellent- 

 Propagation. — Plums are usually 

 increased (i) by cleft grafting during 

 February and March, and also about the 

 end of August and during September ; 

 and (ii) by shield budcling in July during 

 dull showery weather. The stocks chiefly 

 used are the Damson, the Mussel, St. 

 Julien, and White Pear Plum ; but of late 

 years a good deal of attention has been 

 directed to the Myrobalan Plum [Prunus 

 mirohalama or P. cerasifera) and also 

 to the ' Mirabelle ' Plum, a variety of 

 Pi-Kmus communis, as stocks valuable for 

 dwarfing the plants and increasing their 

 fertility. As some confusion exists in 

 regard to these two Plums owing to 

 the great similarity of the names, it 

 may be as well to state that the ' Myro- 

 balan' Pliim Tree is described at p. 358 

 under the name of P. cerasifera. It may 

 be increased by means of seeds and 

 cuttings, and flourishes in dry and rather 

 calcareous soils. The ' Mirabelle ' is a 

 variety of the common Wild Plum de- 

 scribed at p. 359 as a variety of P. com- 

 munia. There are several forms of it 

 cultivated in France for the sake of the 

 fruits. It may be increased by seeds and 

 cuttings, and may be used on the ' Myro- 

 balan ' as an intermediate stock for double 

 grafting so as to restrain the vigour of 

 the latter somewhat. 



The stocks are obtained by sowing the 

 ' stones ' in open air beds in autrunn, and 

 allowing the seedlings to remain until the 

 following autumn before transplanting. 

 When large enough for grafting the stocks 

 are out back close to the ground in 

 January. The scions or grafts are also 

 cut at the same period and stuck in the 

 soil until the time for grafting is at hand. 

 In the case of standards as well as other 

 forms, the graft is inserted close to the 

 ground, and allowed to make its own 

 stem on which the head is eventually to 

 be formed. 



Budding is now becoming more 

 general than grafting for Plums and 

 other stone fruits hke Cherries, Peaches, 

 Nectarines &c., but care must be taken to 

 see that wood and not blossom buds (see 

 illustration, fig. 155) are inserted when 

 the operation is performed. 



Plums may also be raised from seeds 

 when new varieties are desired. Stickers 

 may also be used, but are not advisable 

 as all suckering Plums are a great nui- 



sance in a garden. Layers and cuttings 

 are rarely used, but where Plums are re- 

 quired on their own roots these methods 

 of propagation may be practised as de- 

 scribed under the Apple (p. 1044). 



Insect Pests, diseases &c. — The most 

 injm-ious of these have already been 

 alluded to under Apples and Pears (see 

 pp. 1046, 1062), and the various remedies 

 described will prove equally beneficial in 

 the case of Plums. Good cultivation, good 

 drainage, and cleanliness are always 

 excellent preventives. Various kinds of 

 Aphides which secrete a sticky fluid over 

 the foliage are sometimes very much in 

 evidence, but may be removed by the 

 application of a solution of soft soap 

 and quassia, in the proportion of about 

 1 lb. of each to 4 gallons of water, with 

 tobacco juice or a little paraffin added, 

 applied warm or hot up to 120°-150° Fahr. 



Slugwormsare sometimes very trouble- 

 some, and may be dealt with as advised 

 at p. 1048. 



The larvse of the Plum Weevil {Bhyn- 

 chites cupreus) and the Plum Tortrix 

 {Carpocapsa funehrana) sometimes attack 

 the young fruits and do a good deal of 

 damage. In the chrysalis state they 

 remain in the ground at the base of the 

 tree, emerging as perfect insects to lay 

 their eggs in spring. The remedies 

 mentioned under the Apple Blossom 

 Weevil at p. 1046 will be found useful in 

 dealing with these and other pests of 

 similar habits. 



The disease known as ' gumming ' may 

 be prevented largely by judicious summer 

 and autumn pruning (see p. 1031). 



A peculiar disease known as ' Silver 

 Leaf often attacks the Plum, causing the 

 leaves to assume a dull lead-like sheen. 

 This is a sure sign that they are going to 

 die, although they may linger for one or 

 two seasons. It is very prevalent in some 

 market gardens, and is probably due to 

 some unsuitable condition of the soil, which 

 sets up a fungus disease. When the trees 

 are rooted up, as they should be, it is better 

 not to replace them with Plums, but 

 Apples have been found to thrive in their 

 places. 



Varieties of Plums a/nd Oages to 

 grow. — The following selection includes 

 the best varieties of Plums and Gages 

 suitable for dessert and cooking. The 

 Damsons and BuUaces are treated separ- 

 ately immediately afterwards for the sake 

 of convenient reference. 



