VOL. XIV. 
MARCH, 1892. 
NO. 3 
The Lincoln Plum. 
OT VERY long ago the 
new Lincoln plum was 
referred to in Orchard 
and Garden with the 
remark that its large 
size, showy appearance 
and fine quality could 
not fail to bring it into 
popular favor. We might then have said 
more concerning its great productiveness 
had we fully realized how very prolific it 
really is 
The Lincoln is one of the largest and 
most showy plums we know of, and its 
great bearing habit may be seen by the il- 
lustration Of a fruitful branch here pre- 
sented. It seems habit- 
ual with this variety to 
bear its fruit in thick 
clusters about the 
branches here and there 
like onions on a rope, 
and the effect of the 
original tree in full 
fruiting is very strik- 
ing. The plums are 
very large, average 
specimens measuring 
two and a half inches 
long by six inches in 
circumference; in color 
a deep reddish purple 
with a delicate bloom, 
very showy and attrac- 
tive; flesh pale amber, 
juicy. rich and luscious; 
it has none of the 
coarseness one might 
expect from so large a 
plum, and parts freely 
from the stone. The 
young trees, whilst not 
so robust and vigorous 
as some others, are en- 
tirely hardy, and the 
foliage is healthy and 
bright. It ripens early 
— at its home in Penn- 
sylvania from the first 
to the middle of August. 
The Lincoln plum originated some twen- 
ty-five or thirty years ago in York County. 
Pa., and is supposed to he a seedling of 
Reine Claude or Green Gage, neiiher of 
which it resembles in fruit however. It is 
much more like Bradshaw, but is larger 
and of better quality. The original tree 
came into bearing during President Lin- 
coln's term of office and it was named for 
him in consequence. It has borne large 
crops annually ever since. The stock of 
this plum was purchased by a firm of lead- 
ing nurserymen and introduced to the 
public in 1890. 
Train trees when young so as to avoid 
much pruning hereafter. 
To Save Girdled Trees. 
Many trees that have been girdled dur- 
ing winter by mice or rabbits are often lost 
by neglect that with a little care and labor 
might be saved. As soon as a tree is found 
to be girdled either partly or entirely, the 
soil should be banked around it so as to 
completely cover the wounds and exclude 
the air, reaching some six or eight inches 
above them and being firmly packed. The 
mound should remain until about Septem- 
ber, when the wounds will be found to be 
completely healed and recovered with 
bark. The banking-up, however, should 
be done early as possible after the injury is 
done. The wounds of girdled trees may 
also be covered with shellac dissolved in 
Lincoln Plum. Fig. 517. 
alcohol, liquid grafting wax. etc., and if 
left on till early fall and secured with a 
wrapping of some kind, the wounds will be 
entirely rebarked. 

Fruiting the Native Plum. 
There are many complaints as to the un- 
fruitfulness of Wild Goose and other native 
plums, and enquiries as to the cause and 
how to remedy it. The whole trouble lies 
in the fact that their own pollen does not 
properly fertilize their own ovaries and 
therefore the near proximity of another va- 
riety is essential to complete fertilization 
and so to full fruitfulness. When planting 
native plum trees, set at least three varie- 
ties, and the more varieties the better. 
Plant not more than ten feet apart and per- 
haps eight feet would be better, in the row, 
with no two trees of any one variety next 
to each other. If an orchard of them is to 
be planted the rows may be from fifteen to 
twenty feet apart Planted in this way 
with alternate varieties, the yield under 
favorable conditions should be enormous 
as our native plums when properly fertiliz- 
ed are immense bearers. In contrast to 
this it will be found that most native plums, 
when standing alone and away from any 
other variety, will be completely barren 
and fruitless. They bloom freely and set 
considerable fruit but it all drops off when 
small. There are some varieties that will 
bear considerable fruit when standing 
alone but all are ren- 
dered more fruitful by 
the near presence of 
other varieties. It has 
been said that the best 
results are obtained 
where a variety of one 
type is fertilized by one 
of another type. The 
Wild Goose, for in- 
stance, a plum of the 
Prunus Chicasa type, 
does better when plant- 
ed near to the Miner of 
the P. Americana type, 
or to any variety of the 
P. domestica type, than 
when near to any va- 
riety of the same type 
of plum as itself. 
To induce fruitful- 
ness, therefore, in a 
large native plum tree 
standing alone and now 
perfectly barren, graft 
or bud other varieties 
into some of its branch- 
es and as soon as the 
grafts are large enough 
to bloom there will be 
an abundance of fruit. 
Among the best va- 
rieties of native plums 
may be named Wild 
Goose, Weaver, Miner, DeSoto, Pottawata- 
mie, and Forest Garden. 
Grafting the Hickory. 
Grafting the hickory is not often a suc- 
cessful operation. Prof. Budd says that in 
our dry climate we neglect to prevent too 
rapid evaporation from the cion while the 
slow process of uniting with the stock is 
going on. and that in the moister climate 
of a large part of Europe, this is never for- 
gotten in grafting the nut trees, the mul- 
berry, or any other tree known to be slow 
in uniting. He recommends that, after 
the cion is inserted and waxed or covered 
with clay, the whole be covered with a 
tight paper sack tied at the bottom. 
ORCHARD AND GARDEN. 
