The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-08
Queries and Replies.

A. G. b., CALAIS, VT want to
set few plum trees this spring. What
kinds shall l plant as regards hardness,
productiveness and quality?"
REPLY.-The hardest plum we know
of is Mooer's Arctic, which originated
in Aroostook county, Maine. We have
had this variety for dozen years, and
it has been the only sort that has given
us fruit in quantity. But the trees are
still scarce, and we do not know of any
nurserymen who have them. The
fruit is very good, but not best. L. M.
Macomber of North Ferrisburgh, vt.
is nurseryman who grows plum trees,
and knows the hardest and best sorts
for each locality as well as any one. We
expect this spring to receive some small
trees of number of Russian plums,
brought from that country in 1923 by
Professor Budd, the horticulturist of
the Iowa Agricultural College, and
for many years secretary of the Iowa
Horticultural Society. These are sup
posed to be perfectly iron clad,"
productive, and of fine quality. We do
not regard Mooer's Arctic as iron
Clad" though it is very hardy. We
have some twenty trees that should bear
this year, but it will not astonish us to
find that this hardest IF all winters we
have seen has destroyed them.
There are some improved native (red)
varieties of plum that are very good.
Among these De Soto is highly APP
proved all through the West. If our
Mooer's Arctic trees are killed we shall
replace them with De Soto, of which
we have already some. These are en-
tirely hardy in the coolest spots, and
very productive. The western wild
plum differs from the eastern in having
smaller and not so flat stones, and firmer
flesh. A good deal of pains has been
taken by western fruit-growers in select
ing the best sorts. We believe that in
Northern New England and Canada
many excellent red and yellow native
plums exist, which ought to be made
known and distributed. Professor
Budd says the Russian plums are far
harder than any of the blue and white
sorts we now have. But it will be some
years before we can know much about
them. The Lombard is considered the
most desirable market plum for New
England, among the old sorts. 1t is
is very productive and tolerably hardy.
Mrs. A. M. c., STANsTEAD, p. O.
This correspondent, who is widow with
some land, wants to 60 into small fruit
growing and gardening. She has read
about superphosphates and nitrate of
soda, and wants advice about using
them. She asks for the title of the best
book on horticulture, as she cannot af-
ford to buy more than one, also the best
paper to take. She thinks especially of
growing strawberries and black-cap
raspberries, for which there is good
and near market. She adds: " l cannot
afford to make many mistakes, and /
want to show some of these farmers
who advised me not to have anything
to do with land, for it would not pay,
that it can be made to pay, for firmly
believe it can"
REPLY.-Certainly it can, and there
is no reason in the world why women
situated as you are should not be sue
cessful gardeners. Nature will not do
any more for woman than a man
it has no gallantry-but it will do just
as much. In the matter of manures,
stable manure is to be preferred, but
when this falls short the superphos-
pilates, ground bone, and ashes, will do
good service in their place. Nitrate of
soda requires some special skill to man.
age it, and had better be left alone, at
first, while you " cannot afford to make
mistakes" The best book for begin
ner to buy is Peter Henderson's Gear
dening for Profit" for which send to
Mr.. Henderson, 35 and 81 Cortlandt
street, N. Y, enclosing 1.50, for which
it is sent by mail, prepaid. The best
newspaper for all horticulturists is UNI
questionably the Rural Neo Yorker,
which is edited by thoroughly compe-
tent and practical men, who print moth
ing that is not reliable. Address that
paper, "a Park Row, New York. The
price is ~ year. The best black-caI
raspberry is the Doolittle. The best
strawberries are Wilson, Crescent, Man
chester, Kentucky, Charles Downing
and Windsor Chief. We can rec