The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-02-25
|PLUMs FOR NORTHWEST.
a Norby Contributes an Interesting Arti-
ole On Plum Raising ii Dakota
The Species Worth Planting.

RAAAA4S kA0WA IA = &AgB@
Europe, which belongs to the species
primus domestica, have not proved
adapted to the prairie states. In south
ern Iowa and Illinois some Damsons
Lbmbards, etc. are raised, but the vari-
ties relied on fora crop are those native
to our section OF the country (prumus
Americana) even In the New England
states in some localities, this class OF
plums are being planted az the hardest,
healthiest and most productive known.
Several varieties OF the lately introduce
ed Russian plums all of the domestica
family, termed hardy by good authorities
have been on trial hero for some time,
bat are not equal to our coolest winters,
and give little hope OF success
Plums must be planted in we'll pre-
pared rich ground, and kept well Guilt
waited, the fruit should also be thinned
out before half grown, as some varieties
like the DeSoto most always sets more
fruit than 1t can ) properly mature. A
wind break especially on the south side
ls OF great benefit. But as a rule the
plum is found growing in the tough sod
with all the suckers allowed to grow up
and the plums thinned only when it ia
trying to ripen. Fruit trees in such a
location and under such treatment have
no. chance and all to show its true value.
How can we expect a tree or shrub OF
any kind to live, grow and produce
large lucious fruit in ground wholly oc-
cupied by weeds aud grasses OF all de-
scription which never fails to drain the
soil Of every particle OF moisture during
the dry spells,
Cultivation IS the next best thing to
irrigation. It helps the soil to retain
moisture in q degree beyond the con-
ception of anybody that has not tri ed
it. The web worm, often 30 destructive
to plums, can be easily held in check
and exterminated by simply removing
the web 40 soon as it shows in June at
the time it matches. The trees should be
looked over every other day. This
method 10 cheaper, quicker and better
than spraying.
Below / give my experience with some
varieties Of plums in 1894. My trees
have had no irrigation, only clean cul-
ture. The rainfall here at this place
from the middle OF May to the 18th of
August did not amount to over 2 inches.
Most of my bearing trees are on natur-
ally dry ground with no protection from
the-south TO speak of-not a very good
site for a plum orchard.
The earliest plum 90 Gar fru&ed 10 the
Iowa, brought by us from Allmakee, Co.
Iowa. Last il was ripe August
18th. The fruit is as large and good as
the Forest Garden. The tree is very
productive and bears young. The newly
formed fruit was to severely thinned by
late spring frost so it did not mature q
full crop.
hnudson's peach, brought to notice by |
I'll. Knudson of Brown Co., Mimi, CON-
menced ripening August 49,. The trees
carried a good crop OF very sweet excel.
lent dessert plums, also good for cooking
1t keeps well, in size it Ia only medium
measuring ! inch IN diameter. The tree
is 10 Of the hardest and finest grown
in my collection.
Marble, from the same source, ripens
about with the last, fruit OF good aver
age size, about III inches in diameter
the shortest way, color q fine notified
red and yellow, quality sweet and good
for any use. The tree 10 hardy, vigor-
GUS and wonderfully productive. In
1893 q single tree OF the Marble, Z feet
high with a trunk 21s in diameter near
the ground yielded IL quarts of fine
The Rockford was ripe August 25th.
hardly as ripe as the Knudson
peach, but Of fine appearance, being a
red oyerspread with heavy blue
bloom. Quality excellent for any use.
Floyd Co., Iowa. The tree is
hardy and very prolific, surprising in
his respect most other plums. The
Rockford is the only variety effected by
The fungus known al scab, but so far
not TO any serious extent.
Cheney ripens about with the Rock
ord. The small trees carried q full
'rop OF fruit which averaged larger than
my other native plum raised here. The
,est specimens measured ~ inches in
liameter. IL is q nearly round plum OF
Inc red color and very good for canning
md cooking. IL 10 free from the obiec-
ionable acrid taste so familiar TO our !
lative plums. The tree is perfectly ,
lardy and q fine upright grower; differ
mt in habit from other plume. 4
The Forest Garden mature with the
1t Ii q sure annual bearer
{ plums about the size % the Marble.
are better eating before cooked.
he tres lacks hardness. 3
On September 3 we gathered ali our [