100 Hints on Vegetable and Fruit Farming. 
Perdrigon,* Early Orleans, Corse's Nota Bene, Dauphine, 
Belgian Purple, Washington, Prince of Wales, Prince Engel- 
bert, Pond's Seedling, a magnificent plum, Coe's Golden Drop, 
Belle de Septembre. The best damsons are the Farleigh or 
Crittenden's, the Shropshire and the Prune. These do not last 
nearly so long as apple- and pear-trees, and come into good 
bearing at from six to seven years old, when planted upon 
good, well-drained soil. They will thrive upon loams, clay- 
loams, the lighter marls and clays, and should not be planted 
deeply, as their roots do not go down far into the ground, but 
run along the surface. Nor should they be put in a situation 
much exposed to the wind, as the branches are brittle, and 
break off easily when laden with fruit. 
Plum- and Damson-TKEES do not require much pruning. A 
little tipping of strong leading shoots must be done for a few 
years, and a little occasional judicious clearing out of the centre 
in the case of standard trees. Bush trees must be tipped and 
crossing shoots removed. For pruning standards, and indeed 
for bushes in their higher branches, there is a capital cutting- 
machine, now in use on a few farms, made by a village black- 
smith. As will be seen in the engraving (Fig. 3), there is a 
Fig. 3. — Pruning Machine. 
sharp oblique knife on one side, and on the other a kind of 
hook, which has teeth or notches to grip the shoot or branch, 
while the knife is pressed into it by the leverage of the long 
handles. These cutters may be 2 feet or 4 feet long, or 
any length, and it is wonderful what large boughs can be cut off 
by them. For young trees and bushes no ladder is wanted if 
this cutter is used, and it is most objectionable to set ladders 
against young trees. For picking and pruning, a step-ladder 
should be used when possible. 
Plums always sell well. Last year they made capital prices. 
They are ready when other fruits are out of season and when the 
foreign season is over. For damsons there appears to be a practi- 
* " It is said that the Perdrif^on plum, with two kinds more, were first made 
natives of this soil hy Thomas Lord Cromwell when he returned from his 
travels." — Hasted, ' History of Kent.' 
