The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1908-02-27

several years ago MT. waugh, all
authority on plums and plum culture,
wrote the plum growers Of North Da-
kota and South Dakota and Minnesota
asking their opinions on number of
hardy varieties suitable for culture
in the three states. The NfOllOwing
varieties received an almost unani-
nous vote: De Soto, Forest Garden,
Wyant, Quacker, Wolf, Rollingstone
and Hawkeye. These varieties have
been growing at the station gardens
in Fargo for the past ten years, and
have proved exceedingly productive,
so much so that several times the
fruits had to be thinned to prevent the
branches from breaking down, and al
most every season several of the trees
are supported by timber frames to
help them carry the load Of fruit.
These varities are descended from
the native wild plum which grows so
abundantly along the banks of the
creeks and rivers or are crosses be-
tween that and the "Chickasaw" plum,
or the wild plum of the southern
states. These cross breeds are very
hardy and can be grown in any re-
gion where the native wild plum
grows A description of the above
mentioned varieties may perhaps be
useful as guide to prospective buy
ers of this class Of fruits to give them
an idea Of the size, color and quality
of fruit produced.
De Soto fruit is oval and of medium
size; color orange heavily overlafd
with crimson; flesh yellow quality
unsurpassed; ripens early; exceeding
ly productive and valuable CONNER
cially; trees bear fruit when five years
old.
Forest Garden-Very much like the
De Soto; fruit large; color purplish
red orange; flesh yellow and slightly
redeemed next the stone; very good
quality; a favorite and valuable vari-
ETY.; ripens in August.
Wyant-Fruit oval and of medium
to large size; pinkish red in color;
flesh firm and yellow; very strong
grower and very productive.
Quaker-An excellent variety; fruit
large and oval and dark red; very
good quality; regarded by many as
the best variety for northwest plant
ing
Wolf-Fruit oval and of medium
size; color crimson; quality good;
early; good grower and productive.
Rollingstone-Sp fruit; me-
dunn size; and dull red color; good
quality; sweet; very good variety;
ripens with De Soto and Forest Gar
den.
Hawkeye-Fruit roundish oval; size
large; good quality; ripens with De
Soto.
Another cross that is excellent for
planting in North Dakota is the COM
pass cherry, which is a cross between
the common sand cherry and native
wild plum. This cross is exactly in
termediate between the two parents.
It comes into bearing in three years
and is exceedingly productive, very
often killing itself by over-bearing.
The fruit isvery rich and melting and
ripens fairly early. No fruit garden
is complete Without the compass
cherry.
All the above mentioned varieties
of plums and the compass cherry may
be purchased from any Of the leading
nurserymen in the NOT Invest.
The price Of trees varies with the
age. Three year old trees usually cost
about fifty cents each. It is to be
hoped that great many farmers will
plant a few trees Of the above named
varieties the coming spring, for by so
doing they will not only benefit them
selves, but the state as well.
Carl Sarrant, express messenger
on numbers 1 and 2, is taking a
vacation out at the pest house,
and enjoying seige Of small
pox as we'll. He speaks very highly
of the accommodations in the airy
place, and will leave 1t very reluct-
antly when his sentence ends.