82 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



March, 1910 



Following Whitaker and Wildgoose in 

 succession comes Mrs. Cleveland, a variety 

 which is rather larger and better in quality 

 than either of the two just named. It is 

 like them in color, however, and the tree is 

 a vigorous grower and a wonderfully prolific 

 bearer. 



When planting these four varieties it is 

 necessary to plant with them a certain num- 

 ber of trees of a variety which will pollinate 

 them. These pollinating varieties should 

 constitute one-fifth of the orchard, every 

 fifth row in other words. 



Perhaps the best pollinator for a market 

 orchard is the Smiley, for it produces a fair 

 sized plum which will sell in the market as 

 readily as those it pollinates. Newman is 

 also a good pollinator, but it has the objection 

 of spreading its season of ripening too long, 

 and for that reason proves less profitable 

 in market. 



Wherever the peach succeeds in cultivation 

 it is safe to plant these plums. Any well- 

 drained soil that will produce a good average 

 crop of corn can be used for a plum orchard. 

 Exposure and texture of the land has more 

 or less influence on the season of ripening 

 but little if any on the season of blooming. 

 Like any other fruit tree the plum buds are 

 controlled more by the temperature of the 

 air than by that of the soil in this particular. 

 A southern or sunny exposure and a light 

 loamy soil will, as a rule, mature the same 

 varieties a few days earlier than the opposites 

 of such conditions. Where to be first in the 

 market is financially advantageous, the warm 

 exDosure and the heat absorbing soil are 



preferable. Each grower must determine 

 this by his individual market. 



To plant an orchard, plow the land and 

 get it in condition as for any other crop. 

 This accomplished, let a good plowman run 

 furrows twenty feet apart each way. Well 

 grown one-year-old trees are more desirable 

 than two-year-olds. Cut them back to a 

 height of two feet at most, or, better yet, to a 

 foot and a half or one foot. This severe 

 cutting back gives the trees low heads. Look 

 after the trees carefully for the first year, 

 with a view to forming the heads, rubbing 

 off and removing all sprouts or buds that 

 have started growth, leaving only from three 

 to five, and select these so that they will grow 

 from different sides of the stem or trunk. 

 My experience would sav to go slow on much 

 severe pruning or thinning out of the heads. 

 Limbs will be broken or split from time to 

 time by various causes; these, with any 

 others that may cross and chafe, should be 

 promptly removed. 



I do not wish to go into the subject of the 

 actual picking and marketing of the fruit, 

 but I will say this: That plums will not sell 

 unless they are marketed attractively, and 

 look clean and well arranged. Mussy, 

 specked fruit in broken carriers and baskets 

 are so much loss. Better let the fruit drop 

 and rot on the ground than send it to market 

 in such condition. 



Now let us go back to the subject of the 

 family orchard and the man who wants to 

 plant a few trees for fruit for his own table 

 and for cooking. Here the more important 

 varieties are confined to another group of 



natives and ripen considerably later than 

 those of the market gardener's choice. The 

 Wayland, Benson and Reed are the kinds 

 for the home grower and as these must be 

 pollinated, plant a tree of Prairie Flower 

 with them. 



All of these are mighty "good cooking." 

 They can even out-rank that old kitchen 

 favorite, the damson. Stewed they are 

 very good. In jellies and spiced, they are 

 delicious. But when you get them pre- 

 served, rich and red and fruity, with 

 all that peculiar delicious piquancy with 

 which the Southern housewife can invest 

 them, you have tasted one of the best 

 things which mortal man may ever hope 

 to enjoy. 



Most people do not know half enough 

 about the good qualities of the plum for 

 eating. I have a neighbor who eats them 

 ripe and raw, sliced like peaches with sugar 

 and cream, and they are very, very good. 

 Various forms of pastry in which plums are 

 placed I can only speak of as a mere man 

 who has eaten and enjoyed, but knows noth- 

 ing of the mysteries of its construction. But 

 I will take no back seat on the plum preserve 

 question. Our native Wayland, properly 

 combined with sugar and fire, is a dish for 

 the gods, and if there were no other reason 

 in the world for planting native plums, they 

 would still be worth planting just for this 

 one sweet. 



Yes, the native plums are hardiest, least 

 liable to disease, best croppers, most profit- 

 able — so on and so forth — and they 

 surely are best in preserves. 



The one fault of the native plums is their tendency to bear excessive crops. Therefore attend to thinning promptly 



