ORCHARD AND GARDEN. 
VOL. XII. 
APRIL, 1890. 
NO. 4. 
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The Lincoln Plum. 
The introduction of new varieties of 
plums of recent years has been in the direc- 
tion of the improvement of our native 
stock, with an occasional importation from 
abroad, rather than in the development of 
seedlings from the European plum, grown 
in this country. Whilst this may properly 
be regarded as the best course 
for us to pursue in the attain- 
ment of the best varieties for 
our general use in this country, 
we ought not, perhaps, to ig- 
nore the possibilities open to us 
in the line of plums of Euro- 
pean origin. The Spaulding, 
introduced some five or six 
years ago, is a plum of this class, 
a seedling of one of the Euro- 
pean varieties, and we know of 
no plum, native or foreign, that 
bears more regularly or abun- 
dantly in this section of coun- 
try, which, by the way, is not 
one that is the best suited to the 
needs of the European plum, 
either in soil or climate, and 
the fruit is of good size and fine 
quality. 
Another seedling of the same 
class is the subject of our illus- 
tration, the Lincoln plum. It 
originated in York County, Pa., 
some twenty-five or thirty years 
ago and is supposed to be a 
seedlihg of ReineClaude orOreen 
Gage, neither of which it re- 
sembles in fruit, however. It 
is much more like Bradshaw, 
but is larger and of better qual- 
ity. The original tree bore its 
first fruit at the time of President Lincoln’s 
term in the White House and it was named 
for him inconsequence. Since that time it is 
said to have borne annually and abundant- 
ly. In color it is a deep, reddish-purple, with 
delicate bloom, very showy and attractive; 
flesh pale amber, juicy, rich and luscious, 
has none of the coarseness one might ex- 
pect from so large a plum, parts freely from 
the stone: very large, average specimens 
measuring 2^ inches long by 6 in circum- 
ference, and weighing two ounces. The 
tree is hardy at its home and exceedingly 
prolific. Young trees do not exhibit as ro- 
bust and vigorous a growth as might be de- 
sired, but they are hard,} and the foliage is 
healthy and bright. Its season of ripening 
at its home in Pennsylvania is from the first 
to the middle of August. The owner of the 
original tree, in sending us some specimens 
of the fruit (August 5th), from which our 
engraving was made, writes: “The speci- 
mens I send you by mail are of only medium 
size. Specimens have been grown to weigh 
four ounces. The tree from which these 
I send you were picked is just literally cov- 
ered with plums and is standing in a stiff 
sod. It is indeed a fine and wonderful 
sight to behold. The plum will annihilate 
dozens of late introduction and I am sadly 
mistaken if there is not heaps of money in 
it for the market grower. Too much can- 
not be said in its favor.” We concur in this 
estimate of its value as a market plum. Its 
large |size and showy appearance should 
cause it to sell readily and its fine quality 
will be apt to bring it into popular favor. 
Two Summer Apples. 
oarrf.ttson’s early. 
Fruit lare'e ; form roundish, oblate-conic, 
sometimes irregular, ribbed ; color bright 
light yellow ; dots small, very numerous, 
distinct green ; stem short, medium ; cavity 
wide, deep, acute, regular green ; calyx 
medium, closed ; segments rather long, 
slightly recurved ; basin narrow, rather 
deep, abrupt, furrowed, ribbed, irregular; 
core large, wide, heart-shaped, slightly 
open ; carpels large, hollow ; seeds medium, 
plump, ovate, pointed, chestnut-brown ; 
flesh yellowish-white, crisp, tender, brisk 
sub-acid ; quality very good ; use market 
and kitchen ; season August ; tree vigorous, 
upright, spreading ; early bearer ; very pro- 
ductive ; origin Somerset, New Jersey. A 
very valuable apple which appears to be 
Work for the Month. 
Before planting trees the 
ground should be thoroughly 
prepared by deep ploughing 
and pulverizing. Lay off the 
land in a regular form and set 
out the trees as soon as the soil 
is in good condition. Summer 
varieties had better be put in 
rows by themselves for conven- 
ience in grafting, and Fall ap- 
ples in the same manner; one does not 
care to drive all over an orchard to pluck 
those that ripen at the same time. For a 
similar reason the different Winter apples 
should be set in separate rows. 
In selecting trees at the nurseries it is bet- 
ter to chose a thrifty two years old than one 
that is older, for such trees receive less in- 
jury in digging, transplant more readily, 
live better and cost less money. The best 
trees are those with low heads and which 
are stocky; these need no support. The 
poorest are those that have been grown 
close together and have run up like a light- 
ning-rod; these need a support to hold them 
in place. Such trees, of course, must be 
shortened in to keep them in place during 
stormy weather. 
In transplanting dig the holes large enough 
co take in all the roots, spread them out, 
working in good soil among them and pack 
little known, as we have never seen it men- 
tioned by any writer. We procured it over 
thirty years ago, perhaps, from our departed 
friend, Charles Downing. It came into 
bearing early and has borne every year 
since. Why an apple of such value should 
be overlooked or lost is a mystery, unless 
our climate has developed something new 
in it. 
SUMMER EXTRA. 
Fruit medium to large ; form roundish- 
ovate, oblate conic ; color light yellow with 
a faint blush ; dots small, scattered, russet ; 
stem long, slender ; cavity narrow, shallow, 
green, regular ; calyx rather 
small, closed or half open; seg- 
ments long, recurved ; basin 
narrow, rather deep, abrupt, 
ribbed ; core small, roundish- 
ovate, closed ;carpels small, long, 
hollow ; seeds medium ovate, 
dark brown ; flesh yellowish- 
white, tender, juicy, mild, pleas- 
ant sub-acid; quality very good. 
Season August. Tree a strong, 
upright, spreading grower ; an 
early and productive bearer. 
One of the very best, bearing a 
crop every year. Origin, Lewis 
County, Kentucky. This is 
comparatively a new apple, yet 
we have had it bearing long 
enough to know that there are 
few apples of its season its 
equal. — J Stayman, M. D. 
