by planting our trees 
41 
PLUMS 
For the convenience. of our customers, we have listed plums and prunes 
separately. The prune is nothing more or less than a plum which has a sweet 
firm flesh that is capable of making a commercial dried product without re¬ 
moving the pit or seed. 
Plums so designated are the varieties that are used as fresh shipping fruit 
and for home and commercial canning. 
The plum thrives in all parts of the State and adapts itself from the foothill 
ranges of the Sierra Nevadas to coast regions, and when given proper atten¬ 
tion bear enormous crops of fruit. 
Planters in the interior valleys are beginning to realize that good market- 
| able varieties of shipping plums are bringing handsome returns. The early 
fruiting varieties are ready for the market in June and July when the Eastern 
market is bare and the demand is heavy, and these returns come to the grower 
when he can use the money to good advantage in taking care of his later crops. 
Plums are. budded on myrobolan and peach roots. The peach root should 
be planted in sandy and loam soils, while the myrobolan or plum root is 
adapted to heavy, moist soils. 
We cannot put too much emphasis on the proper preparation of the soil 
before planting. It should be well plowed, cultivated and harrowed so that 
plenty of good top soil can be used in filling in around the tree. When 
blasting has been resorted to, the ground should be irrigated before planting 
to settle the earth and close all air crevices. When the tree is planted, cut 
. it back to 18 inches from the top of the ground. The first winter the pruning 
required is to form the head of the trees cutting back the frame work branches 
one-half. The second winter all laterals should be removed except two on 
each of the framework branches, and cut those remaining to one-half. After 
the fourth year all the pruning necessary is to thin out the overlapping and 
interfering branches. 
| In planting a plum orchard it is advisable to plant more than one variety 
for the purpose of cross pollination. Such varieties as Wickson and the 
Tragedy prune.can be made to produce regular heavy crops if the orchard is 
intermingled with rows of plums which bloom at the same period. Overbear¬ 
ing, however, should not be allowed, as the fruits will be small and it will 
sap the vitality of the tree, usually causing a light crop to follow the second 
year. 
The shipping varieties are the most popular, but if planters are conveniently 
located near canneries they can find a ready sale for the popular canning sorts, 
such as Jefferson, Washington and Yellow Egg. 
The finer shipping varieties are rich and luscious and for the best flavor 
should be allowed to remain on the tree until fully ripe, but for shipping to 
the Eastern markets they must be picked a few days earlier so that when they 
reach the auction market they will be in prime condition. 
Prices of Plum Trees—on Peach and Myrobolan Roots 
Each 10 100 1000 
1 year . 6 to 8 ft. $ .50 $4.00 $35.00 $300.00 
1 year . 4 to 6 ft. .40 3.50 30.00 250.00 
1 year . 3 to 4 ft. .35 3.00 25.00 200.00 
1 year . 2 to 3 ft. .30 2.50 18.00 140.00 
Beauty Originated by Luther Burbank, of Santa Rosa, California, and is 
one, if not the best, of the early shipping plums. 
It is of exceptional value for shipping to Eastern markets as the fruit, when 
picked green, will color up and develop its delicious flavor later. Owing to 
its earliness, showy appearance and size, which runs from two to two and one- 
quarter inches in diameter, it commands the highest prices on all markets. 
The tree resembles the well known “Formosa,” is of upright habit and vig¬ 
orous growth, a heavy producer, and has very dense foliage which gives ample 
protection to the fruit. 
The fruit is decidedly heart shaped and for this reason makes an easy and 
attractive pack. The skin being a beautiful crimson color, freely sprinkled with 
