Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-08-10
Facfs for Plum Growers.

Facts for Plum Growers.
Among the papers recently read
before the Massachusetts Horticultural
Society was one by James +. @. hyde.
on the cultivation and Varieties Of
the Plum" 1t furnished many useful
and practical suggestions. and some
requiring little criticism. The black
knot was pronounced the worst enemy,
causing many orchards which formerly
produced abundant crops TO entirely
disappear. Mr. Hyde pronounced the
cause OF this disease still involved in
mystery, an opinion with which scien-
tific men who have distinctly discover
ed the parasitic fungus which produces
il will not agree. He adds that in
order TO succeed in raising plums one
must Eight the black knot" an ex-
preston which implies doubtful
struggle. Where the disease has not
been allowed to make Roadway prompt,
quick and complete excelsior proves
effectual with little fighting or trouble.
We have "a plum orchard which has
stood and borne for twenty-five years.
and although the trees have been fire.
quently attacked by the black knot
none have been lost by this disease.
but some have died of old age and
others by overbearing and exposure to
the cold Of winter.
When treating of the curculio. Mr..
Hyde very properly re commends jar
ring on sheets, and then dumping the
insets into a vessel Of water with q
stratum OF kerosene on top. He re-
commends square iron plugs to receive
the EARRING blow which brings down
the beetles, over an inch square at one
end. and tapering to the point which is
inserted into the tree. An objection to
this form is that a few sharp blows
upon it with the hammer drives its
sharp point into the wood. A better.
simpler and cheaper plug is made by
cutting up an iron rod three-eighths of
an inch in diameter, into pieces three
| inches long, one half of which is in
/ serted into bored hole and the outer
end used for receiving the blow Of the
| hammer The inserted end being
| blunt is not driven further into the
wood. MIR. II correctly remarks that
if the wood is faithfully performed each
morning for several weeks the fruit
/ will be so abundantly set that much
/ labor will be required to thin it. We
| have found the need of this thinning by
losing some trees through over-bear-
ing.
In the discussion which followed the
conclusion of the paper, the question
came up as to the efficiency of arseni-
cal poisons for destroying the curculio
and the reports represented their 'use
as partially but not fully reliable. Ia
the experiments which we made some
years ago with Paris green, and pub
lished at the time, we found the work
of the curculios somewhat reduced. but
not so thoroughly prevented as by the
use of the iron plug and stiffened
sheets.
The inquiry was again made wheth-
err the beetles were intelligent enough
TO avoid laying their eggs in trees
overhanging water, the answer appar-
emily being in the affirmative-co
clusion obviously an erroneous one.
Some twenty years ago or more. we
examined a row of plum trees planted
on the bank of mill race, and one
half OF each tree hung over the water.
The owner had reported that the in
stinct of the beetles prevented them
from laying their eggs in the young
plums. which would drop into the wat
er when they fell Not being satisfied
with this conclusion, We climbed out
on the overhanging trees to examine
the young plums more closely. the re-
suit was that as many insect marks
were found there as on land. which
the distance had prevented the own
err from seeing His mistaken opinion
had been further strengthened by the
ipsants In fha fnfaSfa1 n1frns faliiuer
and perishing in the flood. and thus
J, thinning their numbers. The water
was useful in destroying them. but moi
in frightening them away. Country
Gentleman.