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METHODS OF CULTIVATION. 
The soil required for prunes depends largely upon the stock used, or 
rather, peram the stock should be selected to suit the soil. A light, 
deep, sandy loam, not too moist and well drained, is adapted to peach 
stock, which does niit n the nes ae nd deposits “of the Fe ei valleys, 
Such soils are warm and light, and experience has pro that peach 
stock Um do halter pes than on the heavy, aye lands of the 
otto 
In Pika heavier soils plum stock does better than peach, and the 
miery or wild plum stock is the favourite. It is hardy, forms 
ag union with its graft, and does not sucker as other plum stock 
will. 
The almond stock is a favourite with many growers who have a rocky 
subsoil, as it does weil in such land, even better than the peach. 
PLANTING THE ORCHARD. 
In laying off pe orchard it is desirable to have it symmetrical and to 
economise the land. A little thought and care displayed at the corn- 
mencement will. save much annoyance in after years, and it is no greater 
task to have the orchard neat in appearance and symmetrical in outline 
than to have it in a haphazard condition. "There are three objects to be 
considered in laying out the orchards: symmetry of appearance, 
economy of space, and facility for future care. Of course, the first 
thing is to get the trees in straight rows, at equal distances apart, and 
everyone thinks he can accomplish this. But there are various method 
of disposing of the straight row, and these methods all have their advo- 
cates and each one its advantages. The principal forms are the square, 
the quincunx, and the hexagonal or septuple. The methods most 
common in use are the square and the quincunx systems. ‘The most 
generally adopted is the square system, as the orchard can be changed 
to quincunx after being planted, even after a number of m growth, 
by the addition of a tree planted in the centre of each squa 
e square system is the most approved. T var orchard is laid ets in 
lines crossing each other, with equal intervals space, and a 
planted at each crossing of the lines. By this hallod; at 20 feet ‘eae 
108 trees are planted to the acre. 
VARIETIES. 
The principal varieties are the California (the Petite Prune isa n), 
the Bolgarian, the pig erg, the agam: the Hungarian the 
Hungarian Date Prune, the ee e Sergent, the Silver, and the 
Tragedy. Of these on first named is 4 far the most popular, and 
forms the true shipping prune of Californ 
PROPAGATION OF THE PRUNE. 
The first prunes were grafted on plum stock, but this has grown into 
disfavour on account of the tendency of plums to throw out suckers; 
and other ume the peach, the apricot, and lastly the Myrobalan plum, 
have come in nto u 
an Satimate relation between soil and stock. For light, 
sandy “soil the peach stock is yet in at favour, and many growers 
prefer it over all others. Upon heavier soils it does not do so well as 
does the Myrobalan. For some time apricot lock | was the Nous. 
