142 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



March, 1914 



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Plums In My Home Garden 



THE plum has the advantage of being hardy to 

 the very northern limits of vegetation, and 

 again we find it thriving in Florida and California. 

 Here in Florida I am now growing successfully forty 

 varieties of plums. Fifty years ago we had the 

 Green Gage, the Magnum Bonum, the Damsons, the 

 old English Horse plum, and a Blue Gage that ri- 

 pened very early. Of these the black knot compelled 

 us to discard all but the Green Gage and Magnum 

 Bonum; these remain two of our most profitable or- 

 chard plums. The Lombard or Bleecker came in from 

 eastern New York, and as a plum for city yards sur- 

 passes all others. In our open orchards it suckers 

 too freely, and is badly affected with black knot. 

 It will, however, grow in any corner, come to fruit 

 very quickly, and can be easily renewed. 



I have tried at my home in Clinton, N. Y., and 

 at my home in Florida, with about equal satisfac- 

 tion several of the Japan hybrids, such as Red 

 June, Climax, Chalco, Shiro, Maynard and Gold. 

 October Purple if very satisfactory for a late plum. 

 For Florida Satsuma is well adapted, and Shiro if 

 pollinated is excellent, while Chalco and Climax 

 and Sultan are three more to be strongly recom- 

 mended. The Sultan has a deep, dark red flesh, 

 and in my judgment is one of the best of dessert 

 plums. The fruit, however, is liable to fall as fast 

 as it ripens, requiring that it be grown in sod. The 

 America has proved to be one of the earliest and 

 most profitable plums, ripening with Burbank and 

 Abundance or just after, but its quality is only sec- 

 ond rate. Like most other plums it needs severe 

 thinning. 



I think the best of the cross breeds sent out by 

 the late Mr. T. V. Munson of Dennison, Texas, is 

 Minco, produced by crossing Wayland and Miner. 

 It is claimed to be immune to the curculio. Prof. 

 Hansen of the Agricultural College of Dakota, began 

 to send out hybrids in 1908, not only of our native 

 plums, but crosses between the wild plum and the 

 sand cherry. Of these the most valuable are the 

 Sapa, a cross of Sultan and sand cherry. This plum 

 cherry or cherry plum has a glossy dark purple skin, 

 and the red flesh of the Japanese sire, with the pecul- 

 iar flavor of the American parent. It bears when 

 very young, and is absolutely hardy. It ships well, 

 and has taken first prize at the Minnesota State 

 Fair. Another cross of the same American parent 

 and the Gold plum Prof. Hansen had named the 

 Opata. This plum is notable for its glossy foliage, 

 fruit over one and a quarter inches in diameter, with 

 purplish red color and very sweet flavor. It bears 

 when two years old, and is absolutely hardy. The 

 Hansca is generally held to be the best of this new 

 group. The tree is a remarkable grower, standing 

 twelve feet high at three years of age. It is plain 

 that we have something very promising in this new 

 group. 



If I were called upon to select a list of good plums 

 for home growth and home use I should be puzzled 

 to name the best ten. The fact is that every plum 

 has some drawback, and most of them have some 

 special attractions. Of the European class I would 

 select Bradshaw, Magnum Bonum, Green Gage, 

 Coe, Diamond, Peter's Yellow Gage, Pond, Shrop- 

 shire Damson, Grand Duke and Archduke. Mon- 

 arch might be added for very late. Of this list 

 those most subject to black knot are Magnum 

 Bonum and Shropshire Damson. Green Gage must 

 be grown in the open, with plenty of sunshine, to 

 give it quality. It is not immune, but not badly 

 subject to black knot. Peter's Yellow Gage is 

 nearly immune, as is also Pond, while Grand Duke 

 and Archduke and Monarch are easily kept clean. 

 Peter's Yellow Gage has the advantage of being 

 nearly as rich as Green Gage, while the tree is a 

 much more rapid grower, bearing heavy crops. 

 Green Gage is the slowest grower of the group, and 

 the longest lived. Pond is a magnificent tree, 

 carrying immense crops of plums often as large as 

 a hen's egg. The color is near scarlet. Diamond 

 is another magnificent plum of very large size and 

 of a dark purple. The tree is very vigorous and 

 healthy. 



Reine Claude is a title sometimes applied to 3 

 whole class, but sometimes in the catalogues it indi- 

 cates a variety of Green Gage, and is a very choice 

 plum. Mary is another sort, but too delicate for 

 shipping; a yellow plum with a delicate white bloom, 

 and of fine flavor. The Yellow Egg is generally 



Whal is a fair rental for a , 



properly? Ask the Readers' Service 



