Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-03-03


nent station has issued an illustrated
native pnms in northwestern Wis
consin by Prof. T.. s, Gon OF the hor-
tcultural department and IL should be
read by every person interested in de.
Neloplns the fruit interests OF Wiscon~
sin. The adoption OF tho native plum |
into culture on Il market scale In this |
country, says Prof Con, marks Il de-
cided step OF progress in American
pomoloey, This step is the more inn
portant because nj least one species |
of the native plum promises to furnish |
our hardest tree fruit. with the pos
sible exception Of some of the crab
apples, Native plums are already ex-
tensively grown for market at certain
points In Iowa, Nebraska and Mime
sofa, One Nebraska orchard, 40 acres
in extent Ia reported, and several
Iowa growers measure their crops In
hundreds Of bushels. New plantations
are being made In some sections, and
very many trees that have been planted
are not yet old enough to fruit, The
culture of the native plums has been
chiefly developed In the mississippi
valley, Az the country became more
settled and the wild plum thickets be-
came fewer, the product Of the garden
plum trees began to find It's way into
market. Next, certain enterpristng
nurserymen discovered the possibili-
ties in this fruit, and began to propa-
gate, and to grow seedlings from the
! choicest verieties, Thus new fruit
has been introduced to our markets
that promises to become only second
! to the apple In Importance, The fruit
is excellent for culinary uses and
preserving, while the finer varieties
are becoming priced for dessert use,
| The great hardness Of the Americana
species adapts II TO very wide range
in which the culture OF other tree
fruits is grettly restricted. II should
be remembered that tho European
plum has been cultivated during many
centuries, and the improved varieties
are the result of se,edion through
scores of gene atoms. That our wild
plums should he able to cope 30 sue
NhGblWllN WIN lht ibDNuH val ltlVc
on our tables and In our markets IL
Sufficient evidence that there Is a great
future for this fruit.
The superior hardness OF the
flower buds OF the native plums be-
longing to the Americana species Ia
fully establish d. The nower-buds of
the European plums growing on tho
university grounds, during the winter
or 1867, were almost totally destroyed
though the minimum temperature
reached only % degrees below zero,
while the varieties belonging TO tho
Americana species, the llower-buds
were entirely unlnjured 80 far as
CT uld be dhcJye cd In other local.
ties the flower b. ds Of varieties Of
The Amcr,c In plum are known to
nave endured t mperatule OF 40 de-
glets below 7Gro.
The native plums are scarcely sur
passed in prCductveness by any OF the
tree fruits. Indeed, many varieties
are in constant danger OF fnjuring
themselves by over bearing. The ten
Ut NY IN, 40 WIN HoihS fuiiStiNh VI h'N
apple, to overbear each alternate year,
producing understood fruit, and to be
unfruitful the intermediate seasons
BY properly thinning the fruits, how
ever, this tendency may be In part
ovorcome. In many varieties we may
confidently expect crop every year
unless untimely frosts should destroy
ntnIt
Wisconsin station have not failed to
fruit since they first came into bear
Ing, four years ago, and much longer
records OF consecutive bearing have
often been reported. With proper
Treatment there Is every reason To
suppose that our plums will prove az
reliable In bearing as any known fruit.
People who have been accustomed
TO the fine European plumB OF our
markets pronounce the native plums
as greatly inferior to them; but those
who have become accustomed TO the
finer sorts OF native plums. and have
learned their value for culinary use,
think differently. This fruit must
compete In the market with the
choicest YaIltIltB vi IHS DuiVPNfsh ohu
Japan plums, the peach, the pear, the
apricot and the grape, as well as OF
several tropical fruits. Will 1t sell at
profitable prices undcr these condi-
items. This s the question that must
decide It's fate as market fruit. The
testimony on this point. while not
unanimous. is abundantly sufficient to
answer this question In the affirmative.
says Prof Con.
Varieties OF the plum are usually
propogated by grating or budding. as
they do not como true from seed.
There Is perhaps no better stock on
which TO work the American varieties
than their own seedlings. To grow
these, pits may be saved OF any yigor-
Gus variety. whether wild or culti-
waited. Different varieties OF the ma
tive plums are found 10 succeed on
rather q wide range OF soils. from a
aomewhat heavy clay loan to fine |