126 



THE OECHAED AKD FEUIT GAEDEK. 



CHAPTER XXII. 



PLUMS, A-NJ) A FEW GOOD KINDS. 



Plums are budded or gmfted generally on the Brussels 

 stock for standards, on the common plum stock for both 

 standards and dwarfs, and on the muscle stock for 

 Prune Damsons, White Bullace, and some other kinds. 



The Brussels stock has great vigour of growth, but 

 not much durability. It may be cut down to the ground 

 the year after it is planted out in the nursery, and it 

 will, the same year, throw up a smooth fine shoot several 

 feet high^ ready for budding the following year. 



More lasting trees may be made by budding on the 

 common stock nine inches from the ground. If the stock 

 be strong and healthy, the sort vigorous, and the soil 

 good, it will soon grow standard high. 



Por standards, choose young trees which are straight 

 and smooth in the stem, healthy, and without chafe, 

 bruise, or any other injury, with regular heads of four 

 equally strong, well-placed shoots. Plant them in the 

 autumn. B}^ the following April they will make fresh 

 roots, and the buds will put forth ; the shoots may then 

 be cut back to three or four inches, and each will after- 

 wards furnish three or four shoots, which will form head 

 enough. If, when the time for the winter pruning comes 

 round, there are not shoots enough to make a good head, 

 the best for the purpose must be cut back again to 

 obtain more shoots. The best of the shoots must be 

 selected to form a good head, and they must be allowed 

 to grow without being shortened again, unless some acci- 

 dent should occasion a vacancy which must be filled up. 

 All that standard plum trees afterwards require is to look 

 over them regularl}^ from time to time, throughout the 

 year ; in the summer, to carry on the disbudding process, 

 as in other fruit trees, as far as practicable, and in the 



