The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-04-26
PL,UNTS.

4
| "a paper read by r. S. Moore at the last meet
ing OF the Horticultural sOciety)
The history osthe plum in America
is of more than passing interest.
The DamsOn, small blue plum,
the offspring of trees introduced from
Europe, were abundant at an early
day in the New England settlements,
and extended over the eastern portion
of the country as it was occupied by
white settlers, and is now the most
abundant and prolific kind as far
west as Ohio.
The climatic range of the plum is
somewhat restricted, as it does not
tn rive south of the Ohio river, nor,
gen orally, west of Illinois, if we ex-
cept the Pacific Slope where the plum
is at home. In the central and south
west however, a number of native
plums, offshoots of indigenous species
have become established and laid the
foundation for a new type in plum
culture.
The first of these natives to receive
name is the Miner, which sprung
rom seed planted in Knox county,
Tennessee in the year 1914. Another
of these natives to become established
in the popular favor, and the one of
g reatest prominence and widest cul-
ture is the wild goose, which was in
troduced to the trade about 1850, by
the late j. s. Downer, an amateur
fruit grower and nurseryman of Fair
view, Kentucky.
The history of the origin of this
plum is somewhat interesting. 1t is
said that hunter in the neighbor-
hood of Columbia, Tennessee, shot a
wild goose and that when the carcas
was left to decay, there sprang up the
original Wild Goose plum tree, as is
supposed from seed in the crop of
the goose, carried from some remote
northern region.
There are now about 200 varieties Of
these native piums, named and de-
scribed. Some of them are widely
disseminated, and deservedly popu-
lar.
But within a few years the COM
plexity of the plum flora has become
further increased by the introduction
of the Japanese and Chinese types
which first came to us of the central
and eastern portion of the country by
way of California where they were
planted as early as 1870. About 1870
the Apricot plum, or Prunus Simonii,
came over to us bp way of France. At
the present time the American plum
culturist has these specific types
from Europe, Asia and our natives to
draw upon; whether we plant either
or all of these we will find difficulties
to overcome.
The influence of climate, leaf blight
fungus, black knot and fruit rot have
combined to perplex the fruit grower.
But with timely precaution, per-
sistent care and watchfullness, all of
these may be overcome to very great
extent, except the first named.
What sholl we plant in Allen coun-
ty, and how shall we plant small
trees? Prune severely when planted,
set in rows fifteen feet apart, trees
twelve feet apart in the row. Set
thus they will when full grown shade
the ground completely, which is es-
sential. Cultivate as long as you can
drive between the rows with horse
and pillow. AS already indicated,
Wild Goose and Miner are the stand
byes, among the native sorts. They
are too well known to need descript-
ion here.
1t is a waste of time and ground TO
plant European kinds in this la titude.
Some of the Japanese varieties will
do to try here. Judging from reports
from other localities we would recon-
mend "Willard" for extra early. 1t
is the earliest profitable market plum
yet tested; dark red, yellow flesh and
sweet. Abundance" large, blush
red on yellow ground; juicy, sweet,
good quality, trees very hardy. This
is the most popular of all japanese
plums, very prolific. Burbank"
large, cherry red, flesh yellow, rich,
sugary, larger and better than the
Abundance" and rather handsomer,
three weeks later, exceedingly pro-
ductive. Next in popular favor to
abundance"