The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-09-22
THE WILD GOOSE PLUM.
From the Prairie Farmer.

sfa From the Prairie Farmer.
i herewith send you pencil drawing
ofthe Wild Goose Plum. About fifteen
years ago, in some Southern paper, it
was stated that man named EBENEzER
MEANS, or NANCE, killed goose dressed
it, and found in it two seeds, which he
planted. One grew, and produced this
Wild Goose Plum. I have it from the
mouths of three witnesses who came from
Davidson Co., Tenn, and were near
.neighbors of MEANS, that it was their
understanding from him that he shot the
goose and crippled it !; then put it in a
pen to raise it.. where it died; and where
it lay and rotted in the pen the plum
came up Thenames of these witnesses are
THos. WALKER, WASHINGTON WALKER
and JACOB NEELY. Mr.. Nicely re-
moved from Davidson county soon after
the tree commenced to bear, and went to
Mr.. MEANS and begged few c1ons, and
brought them to this county. This was
near twenty years since From these
cions this county has been stocked with
this plum. have been seeing, planting,
grating, growing and eating of them for
about fifteen years, and think / know
somewhat of their good and bad quail,
ties,-if it has any bad ones.
It's growth is very rapid in the nursery,
and more so in the orchard. 1t is as
hardy as the wild plum of this county !;
in fact, it will stand more neglect than
any other stone fruit Of the cultivated
varieties that has ever been grown in this
county. 1t has some thorns on it when
young; but as it gets age they almost
cease to appear. It's bearing qualities
are too good, from the fact that it is
likely 70 break down, especially if the
limbs are not shortened in ;. for as it
grows naturally it is inclined to make
long branches, and the weight of fruit it
carries breaks them down. Il u 9ae
AS to its longevity no one knows; for
no tree has died hereabouts. I have
grated it on the peach, wild plum and
the common plum of this country; also
upon it's own stock. 1t does best grated
on the peach, if planted deep enough to
keep out the peach borer, because the
otherastocks throw up too many suckers.
But the best root have ever tried is it's
own, getting them when they sprout or
sucker up under the tree. / know
nurserymen do not like this plan, but it
is best for the orehardist. Then if, he
don t want to plant the young trees from
his old ones he can give them to his
or throw them away, as he
pleases. The young seedlings are worth
less, as they throw up SO many suckers
they are not fit to work any other fruit
upon. [ think I have raised thousands
of them, and never have seen one that
bore fruit that was worth cultivating. It'll
will hybridize with the peach, but the
hybrids will not bear. Some may dispute
this but l have grown too many of them
to be fooled in that thing. ]
The Wild Goose plum is the most pro-
Life and regular bearer I ever saw. It's /
fruit is from one to one and a-half inches
in diameter; its color is a bright red, |
with some bloom, and sprinkled with
white dots seeds small and flat; favor
good when ripe is soft, Juicy and
pleasant; when you put it in your mouth |
and suck it, it all dissolyes, and you havel
nothing to throw out but the skin and |!
seed. 1t IS no more acrid nor any harder
at the seed than just under the skin.