Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-01-07
Agricultural,


Owing TO the rayagps OF the curculio and
the attacks Of the disease called black knot,
the cultivation OF thes. fruits in this locality
has been generally abandoned. In former
times it was common to find either cherry or
plum trees, frequently both, growing in the
garden or about the premises of almost every
homestead, and yielding abundantly of their
delicious fruit now a dozen good bearing
trees can hardly be found in some Of the
towns of this county yet within few
years, we have seen plum trees here loaded
with the best of ripe, blooming fruit, and
success in their cultivation is, perhaps, after
all, only question of proper care and otten-
ton. We have known few instances, dur
ing the past three or four years. of plum
trees heavily laden with fruit no material
damage having been done by the curculo
nor thetreos injuredby the black knot where
but little care was used to combat these enc
mics of the fruit As many species of in
sects appear during certain periods and then
disappear. it is not impossible that that
which causes the black knot if it is an insect
and even the curculo may sometime cease to
trouble aud cherries and plums be raised
with as little difficulty rs formerly. 1t not
skilled fruit cutursts know how to dispose
of the curculio.
New Jersey correspondent of the Mirror
and Farmer speaking Of the culture of plums
in that State says that this fruit is growing in
popularity from year to year, and as people
are learning of the different easy methods of
obtaining a crop of fruit, they are increasing
their plantations of the trees. The cureulio
or little Turk, at one time was greatly feared
by those having plum-trees owing to its
singing the fruit and causing it to fall from
the trees before it was ripe but the know
ing ones" with the simple remedies or means
that they now employ, are enabled to raise
good crops of plums irrespective Of the
curculo For those who wish to plant but
few of the trees, the simplest remedy, and
one of the most successful is to plant the
trees in apoultry yard, or to inclosc the orchard
with fence and turn it into yard for chick
ems. The little Turks, when falling TO the
ground, will then quickly be eaten up by the
poultry the chickens becoming the ''gobbers'
instead of the Turks"
OF the white or yellowish- green plulnS the
Imperial Gage, jefferson, Washington and
Goes Golden Drop are among some of the
best for family use and for general planting
Commencing with Nova Scotia, they do well
in Maine and in nearly all of the rest of the
New England and Middle States, also in many
of the more Western States. They are also
varieties that usually bring II good price in
market Goes Golden Drop is the latest in
time of ripening of these. Yellow Egg and
Gen Hand are large yellow plums of fine ap-
pearance, and popular in many sections.
Richland. Lombard and Wild Goose are de-
srable purple or reddish-purple plums, the
second being especially desirable as a regular
bearer at the North, while the Wild Goose. a
new cooking or market plum, meets with
special favor at the West The above va
rieties will give continued supply during
most of the plum season. j. j. Thomas, one
of the best authorities in this country on fruit
culture, in AN address at meeting of the
State Board of Agriculture said
The curculo has ceased to be formidable to
those who know how to attack it, and are
willing to perform the labor. Several years
ago l had specimen plum orchard of seventy
trees. They blossomed annually and set
young fruit abundantly, but they soon drop
ped oil, and l did not get u peck of gooy
plums from the whole orchard. | told md
foreman that We must put stop to this, and
directed him what to do. At an eXpend-
lture of six cents per tree that year, the whole
orchard bent under loads of delicious plums.
This was repeated year after year, till most of
the trees were injured and some killed by
overbearing, followed by hard winter. But
many are recovering and shall in future
have TO be a little more sparng of the curcu-
linc M. alsa piV tt1ltl1n IN thinning
the heavy crops.
The remedy is substantially that first en-
ployed forty years ago by David Thomas,
namely, Earring down on sheets and killing
with thumb and finger. Modern devices
greatly abridge the labor. One of the best
contrvances is large hopper made of rub
Der cloth on tight frame, placed on small
barrow or hand-cart, having a slit on one side
to enclose the stem Of the tree, this slit be-
ing opened and shut by the easy movement
of lever A ong-haudled mallet jars the
tree if it is small, or the limbs separately if
large. The bugs drop and roll down the
smooth face of the rubber cloth, into box
or pocket at the bottom. Rain or dew is no
impeachment to the use of the waterproof
cloth. The jarring remedy often fails be-
cause not properly applied. soft padded
mallet has been used, 50 as not to brulse the
bark of the tree. But this is inefficient,
needed is a sharp blow of a hammer or axe,
against the head of a blunt spike inserted for
the purpose A hole should be bored into
the limb or tree, and blunt, not sharp
spike set in half way, for if sharp, the ham
mer may drive it in further This remedy
often fails because not unremittingly APP
piled. | have sometimes heard the remark,
II have tried your remedy, and it does not
answer" l find the kLockinGs of no use in
81 trxr
ing, without failure--and twice n day when
insects were abundant p why, yes, / used
it every day-or,-at least, nearly every day. -"
you skipped, then, sometimes!' 20 yes,
once in a while not often not more than a
day or two" How many times in all did
You apply the remedy this season please
mention the days" "Well, l begun Monday
morning, and Jared the trees Tuesday and
Wednesday remember that l did any
more that week-then did it again twice the
next week-then got discouraged, and got
out of the notion of it," 80 you Jared
your trees five times in all? That explains
it! Why, | never think of quitting with less
than twenty or thirty, and even theu 1t costs
but lttle-a half minute or less for each tree,
and a crop of bushel of plans or more is
had at a cost of only five or six cents Now,
suppose / apply the same imperfect treat
ment to any common farm work--say to
milking my cows. Why, yes-I MIXED Mon
day, Tuesday and Wednesday and perhaps
twice the following week, and then the
COWS gave so little that got discouraged and
gave the thing up, and pronounced COWS "a
humbug.n' This would not be unlike the
course with the curculios You must WORK
faithfully aud unremitting, if you would sue
coed"
Mixed Feed for Cows.