Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1889-11-01
PRUNEs.
OLYMPIA, Oct. 25, 1889.

ED STANDARD.
As per request, l will endeavor to
furnish you with some statements
about the results of my experience in
the cultivation of the prune. My
place lies about two and one-half miles
below the Long Bridge on the West
side, from Is to 100 feet above tide-wa-
ter, and is high rolling land known as
shot clay. l have between four and
six acres in trees, the oldest of
which were set out eight years ago
this coming winter. l made the mis-
take OF planting the trees before the
land was completely cleared. Never
having had any prior experience in
horticulture, proceeded after the
methods OF the old settler; that is,
dig hole in the ground anywhere,
and let the tree rustic with briers and
grass as best it could. l soon found
this would not do. So year or two
afterwards, l took all the stumps out,
got the plow through, then the trees
began (and not till then) vigorous
growth.
As to varieties I have the following: /:
Goes Golden Drop, Italian.
Early Golden Drop Petite de 'Agen. Fh.,
washington, GiOs de- e'Agen, F'ch.,
Yellow Egg, Refine Claude,
Peach Plum. Norman.
All OF which do we'll, and so far all
have found a ready market. In fact
the market for green fruit has been
getting better every year. That is,
better for large quantities. l hear
stories of fancy prices received in
early days here, but that was for a
very limited amount. But now l
have shipped, myself, as much as
four thousand pounds in a single day,
and that in competition with fruit
from Oregon. So far, have not sold
for less than three cents per pound by
the ton. but would advise to go slow
on planting the plum, for the reason,
should the market for green fruit be
low, they are not so profitable for dry
ing as the prune. 1t takes about six
pounds of plums (after pitting) to
make pound of dried fruit. Three
pounds of prunes will make a pound
of dried, and they bring as much, or
more, per pound. Besides the prune
is not half the expense to dry. You
save the cost of pitting, gain the
weight of the seed and get as much,
or more, for the product. Eighty per
cent. of my orchard consists of prunes.
The largest number of any variety
l have is the Italian" the next
French" Petite de'Agen). / wish
they were all "Italians." This year
there was difference of three cents per
pound in favor of the Italians" dried.
The latter being larger more uniform
in size and less cost to handle. Be
sides Oregon and Washington has no
other competitors for the growing of
this prune that 1 know of. / am Of
ten asked the question how much do
prunes yield per acre in pounds, or
how much in money. This | cannot
answer exactly from experience for the
reason that none of my trees are in
full bearing and there is no single acre
having trees all Of the first planting.
Some few Of the first died, and as the
stumps were taken out the spaces
were filled up with young trees a good
many of which are not in bearing at
all. But taking the orchard as it is,
the gross receipts this year were about
two hundred dollars per acre. /
should think it safe to say that an or
chard of good varieties properly set out
and cultivated would in seven years
Weld a net return of two hundre.i dol
lars per acre.