St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-05-04
Plum Culture.

| plum culture than to make brief synop-
| sis of what Massachusetts, gentleman
| said before the Horticultural Society of his
State. He first referred to the fact that
the greatest drawback to plum growing is
the black knot. In many cases the trees
are utterly destroyed almost before they
have given even one good crop. They be-
come nearly covered with this unsightly
| and destructive fungus growth if left to
themselves. Not only ID the plum liable
to injury from the black knot, but some
other trees as we'll.
He knows of no better way than to pre-
vent black knot, so far as possible, by
keeping the trees in thrifty and healthy
condition To do this the land must be
made and kept rich. Even under the
most favorable circumstances the knots
will after time appear. The trees should
be frequently examined during the grow
ing season, and as soon as the fungus
growth makes it's appearance it should be
cut off and burned. If it appears on a
small limb or twig, sacrifice the limb; but
if on large branch, cut off the wart, and
cut deep enough to remove the whole of
it. Heroic treatment is required if one
would save his trees. Bad wounds must
sometimes be made, but better SO than to
allow the warts to remain. Some recon-
mend the application of shellac to such
wounds, but we never take the trouble to
do this, as we do not expect to keep the
trees for many years.
If the trees make very thrifty growth,
it is well to head them in just before the
buds start in the spring, so as. to keep
them stocky and symmetrical. He had
many trees that would make an annual
growth of from five to seven feet from the
ends of the main branches. He usually
cuts back rather more than half of that
growth. and in some cases back to within
foot Of the old growth. This, of course,
with the high manuring we give the land,
stimulates large growth the same sea-
son, but this we rather like, because we
think the trees will be freer from warts
than If less thrifty.
Many regard the curculio as the great
enemy of the plum, to which opinion this
gentleman does not assent. If the trees
are left to themselves, and no measures
are adopted to prevent the ravages of this
insect, no crop will be obtained, as rule,
but il is so easy to take preventive steps
that one has no excuse for not doing so if
he cares for his crop. He has iron plugs
made, the heads an inch and a quarter
square or little more, and about three
inches long, tapering nearly to point.
He bores slight hole into the body of the
tree, and drives one of these plugs into
the same, about half the length of the
plug. This iron receives the blow of the
mallet used to jar down the insects.
Soon after the blossoms have fallen
from the trees and the small fruit may be
seen, we take good-sized mallet such as
an be used with one hand, with handle
three or four feet long !; a piece of CLOTH,
the smoother the better, say three to six
feet wide, according to the size Of the
trees, with strip. Of wood on each side
and end to keep the cloth in place the
strip of wood on one side is in two pieces,
and the cloth has slit about half way of
it's length, running half way through its
width, SO that when the cloth is in place
for jarring the tree the body or trunk of !
the same will be about the middle of the
cloth. When it is SO placed one of the
two holding the cloth will strike the head
Of the iron plug with the mallet and in
stantly the curculious, If there be any will
drop down upon the cloth, rolled up in
little ball, looking like anything but a
winged insect, but good deal like ripe
hempseed.
After jarring three or four trees in this
way, the insects that have fallen on the
cloth can be shaken together, and then
turned into pail partly filled with water,
with little kerosene on top, where they |
soon perish. Some use a mallet covered |
with rubber or other soft material, and |
strike directly on the limb of the tree.
This may become necessary when the trees
ire quite large. The object is to shake
Town the insects and destroy them in the
easiest and quickest possible way.
Some go through their plum orchards
Ind only shake the trees, and so disturb
,ut do not destroy the pests. Still others
sprinkle their trees when wet with air
Taxed lime or ashes, and SO secure some
'ruit, but there is no plan so effectual as
he jarring on to cloth and destroying
he insects on the spot. This jarring
must be done each morning for from four
o six weeks, If the insects are numerous,
equiring about an hour each morning for
hundred trees. The Western Rural and
4nserScan StOcA;ns0n.
A freshet on the south branch of the
'otomac. near Romney, Hampshireoounty,
n. Va, some time ago, laid open great
indian cemetery. Hundreds of skeletons
ave been found in good state of preser-