The anti-monopolist., 1875-10-25

PLUMs FOR THE NORTuWEsT.-My
first efforts to secure a valuable variety
| of plums in this climate, where mecury
sinks to 35 . or more below zero, were
made some 20 years ago. A neighbor
| had gathered some choice wild plums.
| bought peck of the seeds, and plant.
ed them; they grew finely, but pro-
duced poor, miserable fruit. Other
neighbors did likewise, with no better
results. Each tree seemingly strove to
vie with all the others in producing the
most worthless variety. Next l dug a
wagon-load from as good varieties as |
could find, and set them about my yards.
They, too. grew finely, but have been
degenerating ever since; and the past
summer the boys could not be coaxed to
eat them. Next | sent East, got some
cions from noted kinds and put them in
wild trees. They grew finely, but the
| first winter killed them all. Here | had.
us | thought, exhausted all the plans |
could think OF to secure fine plums, and
| then | turned my attention to other
+! fruits.
About this time noted horticultural
neighbor had discovered Il tree loaded
with choice wild plums. decidedly better
than those in general. He at once
marked the tree, and in proper time took
cions from it and put them in other
wild trees about his house. They grew
! finely, and soon produced a fine lot OF
good plums. My brother took cions
from his tree, and soon his trees, too,
were breaking down with fine fruit. This
put me in mind of the old adage, Try,
try again." and did so with much less
trouble than | formerly had, as was
overstocked with worse than worthless
trees. | selected some Of the best. put
in the clons from my brothers trees, and
in two years and six months we had the
pleasure OF showing many fruit men "a
sight which they viii long remember.
When | took them to see the plum
trees loaded as they were, they would
almost invariably remark. "well, that
beats anything | ever saw" The limbs
We're about three feet long, the size of a
mans thumb. and covered and crowded
with plums until each limb was full as
large rs Il mans coat sleeve. They
crowded one upon another so much that
full one seventh Of the crop wese crowd
ed off their stems. while another seventh
part were completely smothered SO they
could not mature; but many are yet
hanging on the trees. have the Minor
plum, which, when compared with these
natives proved to be inferior in size,
quality and number. think they bore
40 to OF any tame plum ever saw.
| woul, say to Mr. Otis and others
. who are anxious to raise valuable varic-
! I = al, ~. II. ..l-
look up, or induce others to look up the
: best tree that can be found In your own
! thlckets, and secure the cions before you
! venture to dig up the tree. keep them
properly, and as soon as the ground
! ceases TO freeze in the spr ng SET them
! IN your young, thrifty native trees. aud
, If thcr do as ours have done YOU will reap
| a bouutiful reward within two or three
years The reason why | say save the
: cioas first. IS because | oNce found a
small tree growing up out OF strong
bed which sore Il few very choice
plums; had to dig it out with q pick,
l but with all my care injured it SO thai
it died before fall. and lost what still
4 think was i valuable prize. / canno,
refrain from adding that sad experience
has too often adronished myself and
. nelghbors here for straying off after SC
1 many uniried kinds of fruit. which has
e so often brought us back to the old
, adage. "A bird in the hand is worth two
in the bush.' II a man has money tha,
he has no pressing use for let him spend
1t IN searching out and experimenting
on such kinds as come reasonably rec
> ommsnded. and if he only succeeds In
! one case in ten he will be deing truly Z
: laudabie work. such as will bring dowr
, upon him the blessings of future gener
ations--[ Edison Gaylord. Floyd Co.
{ Iowa
! How TO HATCH AND RAISE POULTRY
There l. an establishment at the pleas
. ant village of Hicksvil e, L. L., which
: would well repay = visit fr.m our farm
ing fri. nds and others leading a country
IL -