The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-09-20
A WORD FOR THE PLUM.
4 Neglected Fruit which Commands
Ready Market.

NtrfvChbt fihA' NihNh -
Ready Market.
There is an opening fCf more plum
orchard. The fruit is relatively scarce
in market and usually in most places
the price is high. Next to The apple,
and perhaps the peach, II takes It's
place In public estimation. 1t In suited
t. wider range than the peach In
soil and climate. Where locally abun-
dant, the price may be reasonable, but
There are always places where the
fruit will command In retail markets
from sixty cents to 81 per peck.
why should not the demand be sup
piled? why Is 1t necessary for the
eastern consumer to go to California
for q supply? And especially why
should English plum jams be found on
the counter of any popular city gro-
Ger? 1t Is absurd to assume that there
Is any insuperable difficulty in their
production. Whatever obstacles to
success can I've suggested are only OPP
poriuni'tiCs for skill in culture and care
in treatment That will bring large re-
suits which are denied to the multi
tudc that simply plant trees and leave
Them to the tender mercics of disease
and insects.
The black knot is bar to SUCCESS In
neglected orchards. II is likely to come
in, and If tolerated. quite certain to
destroy the orchard. Watched close
ly. cut off and burned. 1t can be ex-
terminated. or ut least the injury can
be reduced to minimum. When fer.
tilted with nitrogen. phosphoric acid
and potash, trees almost dead have
been revived.
The rot Is also q trouble some disease
which has been successfully treated
with the Bordeaux mixture and sui.
phur. Some apply an ammonical so
luton before the buds come out in
leaf, and the mixture two or three
times after blossoming, with sulphur,
about the time of ripenlng. All rot
ten fruit should be picked off and des-
troycd
The curculio Is the arch enemy Of
| the plum, but labor and persistence
will compass hhs destruction. Spray
with Paris green, after the blossoms
are gone. at intervals of n week or ten
days. oftener If heavy rain falls, half
q dozen times Three ounces to forty
gallons of water will do. Jarring tie
tree has also been successful, but 1t Is
! perhaps not SO sure. as ordinarily done,
Us spraying. The canker worm can also
b. Killed by Paris green.
Thoroughness in treatment, with i'm.
telligence that compaSses all the diff
ficulties, will ensure n crop, If not des-
troyed at the start by frost. The
compensation for this care will he
larger and surer on account of the ne
glect and slothfulness of so many care
| less growers.
With care. plum-growing may be
reasonably sure and certainly profit
able. There would be a good market
with proper attention to handling and
distribution, for two on three times as
many as are now grown. Plums and
prunes are among the most profitable
fruits of California. though shipped to
very distant markets across the conti'
ncnt. or dried for use at any season OF
the year in all ATTITUDES. Many east
ern fruit growers find great profit In
plums, and IL seems strange that sc
many others should fail or be fright
emcd from attempting their cultivation
by obvious yet avoidable difficulties =
| Country Gentleman.