424 



GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



have the crop entirely cut off by frost, as often as every 

 third year, in order to check, for a time, the rapid increase 

 of this pest of the orchard. 



Another serious difficulty is the rot ; to prevent this, 

 the varieties least subject should be selected and planted, 

 with the roots not too deep, and the fruit thinned, if very 

 abundant upon the tree. 



The third obstacle to plum culture is, happily, not very 

 prevalent in the South. It is a black knot, or excrescence, 

 growing upon the bark and young wood. The bark swells 

 and bursts, and finally assumes the appearance of a 

 " large, irregular lump, with a hard, cracked, uneven sur- 

 face." The flow of sap is obstructed by this tumor, and 

 its poison is gradually disseminated over the whole tree. 

 The dark-colored fruits are most infected. The disease 

 also attacks the common Morello cherry. It appeared 

 here, for the first time, in the year 1853, on a tree from 

 the North. None have appeared since that time. The 

 only remedy is to cut off every branch or twig that 

 shows a tumor, and burn it at once. As the plum throws 

 out long, straggling branches, which are unsightly and 

 unproductive, this should be remedied by shortening 

 in, as with the peach, so as to form a round, compact 

 head. Most stone fruits require to be shortened in, 

 more or less, or the growth becomes unsightly and the 

 tree short-lived. It is an excellent plan, where practicable, 

 to plant a tree or two near the door of the house and 

 kitchen, where there is considerable passing and repassing 

 and the ground becomes hard-trodden. Such trees are 

 less infested by the great enemy to stone fruit — the cur- 



culio — which is quite a timid, as well as cunning, insect. 



» 



VARIETIES. 



Chickasaw. — (Prumis GhicJcasa.) — A tree or two of 

 both red and yellow varieties of this, our indigenous 

 plum, should be admitted into the garden. The fruit is 



