Chapter 5

The plum is not so particular as the pear about soil, yet it has its preferences. It is not so deep-rooting as the apple and pear are; the character therefore of the lower soil is not so important. But stone-fruits require lime. In planting for profit, no site should be selected for a large plantation if the soil is deficient in lime. It is true that lime can be added, but this plan may suit a private garden, not a large plantation for profit. The plum being hardier than the pear will flourish in most soils, even in a heavy loam, but not in light sandy or gravelly soil. In the latter case, something may be done by heavy manuring and frequent removal. The trees in the R.H.S.'s garden at Chiswick are a triumph of skilful culture, as good crops are raised on many trees in a hot and gravelly soil. Some damsons, however, do not thrive there. But such culture is costly. In soils of an intermediate character, much may be done by adding other materials as suggested for pears. If there is any doubt about the amount of lime in the soil, an analysis should be obtained, and special notice taken of the trees in the neighbourhood. The plum (like the pear) will not thrive in a low, wet, undrained locality, nor in one that is very dry or exposed. Drainage is essential to success. If, in a rainy season, water in a clay soil is allowed to remain round the roots, canker or gumming is pretty sure to follow. Excessive moisture is as bad as extreme dryness. The slope of the ground, therefore, is a matter of importance. In Essex there is often land quite level with a heavy clay soil difficult to drain; such soil would not suit plums, though it might suit quinces. The aspect as well as the slope must also be considered. For the better class of plums, _i.e._ dessert varieties, where sweetness is expected, a position open to the southern sun is best, but they will also thrive if the aspect is S.-E. or even S.-W. Culinary and hardy varieties might be planted in the colder aspects to the N., N.-E. or N.-W. Proper shelter must by no means be forgotten. Bitter north winds may injure the bloom almost as much as frost or rain; strong winds from the E. or S.-W. may do great damage to heavy crops. Mr Lewis Castle in "Plums for Profit" (edited by myself, S.P.C.K.) suggests that "Canadian and Italian poplars make a good break if tall growers are required, but cherry plums, the myrobalan, will grow into a strong hedge in two or three years' time if the height be sufficient." Damson hedges serve a double purpose and afford good protection. He also suggests that some of the ornamental crabs are similarly useful for protection. Of these the Transcendant and Hyslop or Dartmouth produce good crops of lovely fruit which are excellent for cooking purposes and would probably sell well.

PROPAGATION AND STOCKS

The usual method of propagation is by budding and grafting. The stocks on which the different varieties are grafted are raised from stones. Mr Pearson states that six kinds of stocks are used in the best nurseries--_i.e._ the common plum, the Brussels, the Mussel, the Brompton, the Damas Noir or St Julien, and the Myrobalan. The secret of success is to work the stock with a variety which is of common parentage. Nearly all plums will grow upon the common plum stock, though some of them thrive much better upon other stocks. Prince Englebert and Diamond flourish upon Mussel, but not upon the Brompton. Belgian Purple will not grow upon either Brussels or common plum, but succeeds upon Damas Noir, Mussel, or Myrobalan. The accurate knowledge required points to the wisdom of purchasing trees only from nurserymen who make such trees a specialty.

The late Archdeacon Lea in his excellent book "Small Farms" dwells strongly on the folly of buying cheap stuff. Trees on unsuitable stocks or not true to name bring bitter disappointment after a few years. "Never purchase trees because they are cheap. Visit the nurseries, and pick out trees with clean healthy bark, even though they are smaller than others." If you cannot go or send a reliable man, write in good time and get an early choice. Select and accept only young trees not more than two or three years' old. Budded trees are better than those grafted, as a general rule, the union being better; indeed grafting is usually adopted because budding has failed. In trees that have been budded, there will probably be less gumming.

PLANTING

Planting is a matter of supreme importance, but the rules for pears and plums are very much the same. Especial care must be taken if the soil is heavy and loaded with moisture. Put the trees on arrival in a trench (see before), and wait until the ground is fit and the soil as fine as possible so that the roots may run freely through it. Get the stakes ready and place them in position before planting. Bind the tree, if tall, at once when planted to the stake by soft willow twigs or other means, taking every care that the bark is not rubbed by the stake. Old cloth or carpet may be used for this purpose, tarred twine or cord being passed round it. Dry stakes well tarred, often last as long as they are needed.

WHAT IS YOUR OBJECT?

What is your object? Before choosing varieties, or planting, it is advisable to ask yourself, what is my object? On the answer the form of plantation and the choice of trees must depend. If for a private house only, the answer is easy. Then comes the question, Is there a wall, and if so, what is the soil and the aspect? Is there an Orchard House? If for market, for what market are you preparing? In the Midlands, the Pershore (= Gisborne's) is a great favourite; in London, the Early Orleans and the Egg Plum; in the North, the Black Diamond, the Wydale and others. In planting damsons the same question should be put. The Midland people won't have the Farleigh Prolific so popular in Kent, and they are right; the Shropshire folks think their damson the best of all and many agree with them. Are you near a jam factory? What plums do they desire or require? Local circumstances and wants should have great weight. If you are near a wood and birds are numerous, you may be wise in not growing greengages, yet otherwise they may be the best sort for a large outlay as the demand for them is universal.

PLUMS FOR A PRIVATE GARDEN

Let us suppose that the soil is fairly good; the choice of trees is not difficult. We have a selection made in 1892 by a committee of the R.H.S., consisting of forty experts, and their choice has been confirmed in a remarkable degree by a report of the trial of plums at the Chiswick Garden of the R.H.S. in 1901. At this trial on a soil that in a good year is said to suit them generally, ninety-five varieties were tested, and a good account was given of the following ten:--

Plums for Eating.

_Rivers' Early Transparent Gage._--"Green or greenish yellow, flushed with red, the finest early dessert plum, a good cropper, habit bushy, compact, vigorous."--R.[9] August 21.

_Dennistoun's Superb Gage._--"Green and of greengage flavour, a first-rate dessert variety, of exquisite flavour, cropping well as a bush tree in the open air, habit erect, compact, vigorous."--R. August 26.

_Jefferson's._--"Fruit larger than the two former, yellow, covered with small red dots, habit erect, compact, very vigorous, the best 'all round' table kind, succeeds in every form."--R. September 6.

In the list of 1892 _Belgian Purple_ was named as a plum for eating, but it is only fit for the table in warm seasons, "dark purple, of medium size, bears well, habit erect, compact, vigorous."--R. August 19.

Plums for Cooking.

_Rivers' Early Prolific_, a dark purple fruit, rather small but one which comes in early so that it is often first in the market; thus the tree has time to rest and recover before winter. "A very early and valuable cooking plum; of fair quality for dessert, a great and constant bearer." The tree does not thrive everywhere, nor is it very vigorous.--R. July 23.

_Rivers' Czar._--"Dark red or purple, of medium size, very good bearer, habit erect, compact, vigorous."--R. August 2.

_Victoria_, "Fruit large and bright red, very heavy cropper, the most popular plum and best for general purposes."--R. August 22.

_Cox's Emperor_, or Denbigh, or Denbigh Seedling, "a large dark red of the Orleans type, habit erect, compact, vigorous, a very good free bearing plum that always cooks well."--R. August 22.

_Gisborne's_ (like Pershore), "Fruit deep yellow, rather large, habit erect, compact, vigorous, a great bearer."--Early September.

_Rivers' Monarch_, "Fruit large, bluish-purple, the best late C. (Cooking) plum, habit rather diffuse and vigorous."--R. September 13.

These ten varieties have borne the test of time, and won approval from the R.H.S. in 1892 and 1901. The descriptions are those of the R.H.S. Mr Lewis Castle omits Cox's Emperor and adds;--

_Early Orleans_, "medium size, reddish purple, good bearer and good C. variety, habit diffuse and moderately vigorous."--R. August 2.

_Greengage._--If this is planted, choose July greengage, "rather large for a greengage, habit erect, compact, vigorous, better bearer than old G., fine-flavoured Dessert plum."--R. August 7.

_Diamond_, "very large, blue-black, very heavy cropper, habit bushy, compact, vigorous, good C. plum."--R. August 23.

_Pond's Seedling_, "Fruit very large, deep red, habit bushy, compact, vigorous, rather late, free bearing C. plum."--R. September 7.

_Prince Englebert_, "Rather large, dark purple, habit erect, compact, vigorous, reliable C. plum."--R. August 13.

_Coe's Golden Drop_, "Fruit large, pale yellow, habit bushy, compact, vigorous, a delicious late D. plum, an indifferent bearer on bush trees, most reliable on walls."--R. September 13.

These remarks are based on the Report of trials at Chiswick in 1901.

If one plum only is wanted, choose Victoria, if three, Early Prolific, Victoria and Monarch; to these Dennistoun's Superb and Jefferson might be added for dessert if five are desired.

All these varieties may be planted as Standards, but are better as half-standards or bushes. If as cordons they must be two feet or more apart, and lifted about once in three years. There is no dwarfing plum stock like the paradise for apples or the quince for pears.

If the dessert varieties are on walls, special attention must be given to pruning and to root-pruning. The growth of coarse thick stems and branches is often fatal to the prospect of good crops.

PRUNING AND TRAINING

Plums as a rule do not need nor will they bear as much close pruning as pears and apples. But they need special attention in early life.

STANDARDS.--These must be planted, when other crops are to be grown beneath. Quincunx fashion is the best. The rows, as a rule, should be 24 feet apart, and the trees in each row about 20 feet. Plums do not shade as much as apples and pears, yet it is always wise to avoid overcrowding. Some sorts are not as spreading or as vigorous as others. Weak growers like the Early Prolific might be placed between Jefferson and Monarch. Good trees in six or seven years should bring good returns, but the intermediate space may meanwhile be utilised for strawberries, gooseberries, and so on. Standards should be 6 feet high or more. After planting, cut back the shoots to about one-third of their length, the weakest still more, to promote vigorous growth, and cut just above an outer eye. Keep the centre open. In later years stop gross or robber shoots in June, clipping some leaves of the latter, if necessary. Never allow boughs to cross, and keep all the tree fairly open. When the tree begins to bear, little pruning is necessary. But stopping luxuriant shoots about midsummer is good for the other branches, and for the production of fruit buds before winter. Complete pruning early in August. In winter cut out dead wood, and shorten boughs wherever fresh wood is required. The wood of the Victoria plum is very brittle, and requires special treatment. Shorten the strong growing luxuriant branches of this variety in July; otherwise later on they will break when loaded with fruit. Messrs Bunyard's choice of six for market standards is: Rivers' Early Prolific, Czar, Early Orleans, Victoria, Pond's Seedling, Rivers' Monarch.

HALF STANDARDS (3-½ feet to 4 feet high) are better, and more manageable. Planted 12 feet apart, gooseberries, etc., may be placed around them; otherwise they may be nearer, even up to 6 or 8 feet. These should be pruned in August unless strong shoots require pinching back. Stop new side shoots at the sixth leaf to produce fruit-buds. Avoid excess. Wounds made in August have a better chance of healing while the sap is still active. Pyramids are not as useful as bushes; the former require a central stem and special training.

IN BUSHES, keep the tree open, stop strong shoots at midsummer, prune new (side) shoots back to six leaves about mid-August, and take out wood that is not wanted, admitting the sun and air. In winter cut back any boughs where fresh shoots are wanted to a wood bud at an outer eye.

TREES ON WALLS.--Plums are usually put on east walls, but the best repay a south as well as a west aspect. They require and repay care and skill in training. If the wall is low, the horizontal form is best. The branches should be taken several inches below the line along which they are to be trained, and not at right angles; the sap will flow better, and the tendency of branches to die off will be lessened. The first branch should be 1 foot from the ground, the rest 9 inches apart. Coarse stems and branches must be avoided by moderate root-pruning. The wood must be kept near the wall, that wood and fruit may be better ripened. The fan system is better for a high wall. Train shoots on the tree from the nursery in regular order at equal intervals, cutting back only to ripe wood. Pick off growths on the side next the wall, and others badly placed. Lay in new wood every year, and in August or Early September cut out unsightly branches or spurs if there is other wood to replace them. Prune upper part of tree first, and encourage foliage and fruit spurs over every part. Stop strong growing branches at midsummer, and pinch back side shoots to six leaves about mid-August. Fruit buds will follow. Wire on the wall should be 1-½ inch out, with an interval of 1 foot between each wire.

MANURES

The absence of moisture and the consequent exhaustion have a serious effect on plums, and should never be allowed. Mulch newly-planted trees in light or poor soil; give liquid manure or irrigate in dry weather. Should the crops be heavy, and the soil at all deficient in lime, the deficiency should be made up by scattering lime some distance around the stems and working it gently in. "An annual dressing of decayed vegetable matter, old manure and lime-rubbish, laid about a yard round the stems, produces very satisfactory results" ("Plums for profit"). Supply this in November. The artificials recommended by R.H.S. for pears are also good for plums. Dr Griffiths recommends cow dung and a mixed manure, composed of 5 parts of kainit, 1 part of magnesium sulphate, 2 parts of superphosphate; 7 lbs. of the mixture to be applied to each tree in autumn, two more pounds in the spring.

Established trees in full health need no aid in an ordinary season if they carry no crop. Damsons should be fed as well as plums.

THINNING

must be carried out severely if the crop is thick. In a good plum season, only very fine and first-rate fruits fetch a good price, and these can only be obtained by thinning the fruit and feeding the trees. An annual crop (if frost does not interfere) may then be expected. Half the crop in some years should be taken off long before the fruit is ripe. The jam-makers utilise green and half-ripe plums.

GAGES

These are dessert plums, some of the highest excellence, but they usually require a wall or the best soil and situation. The demand for them is very great. Preserved with proper care, they last until plums come again, and often fetch a higher price than the red or dark plums.

The following are the five best:--

1. July Greengage (see before) early in August.

2. Dennistoun's Superb (see before) mid-August.

3. Early Transparent (see before) end of August.

4. Reine Claude Comte d'Althann, briefly Comte d'Althann, a comparatively new plum from Bohemia. First-class certificate R.H.S. "Medium to large, greyish green, deeply flushed and dotted with red, covered with a beautiful white bloom, very heavy crop, habit bushy, compact, vigorous, remarkably good dessert plum, succeeding equally well as a wall tree, bush, or standard, remarkably prolific." R.H.S., R. August 22.

5. Jefferson (see before).

6. If more are wanted M'Laughlin's Gage is "rather large, pale yellow, flushed with red, a good cropper, habit erect, compact, vigorous, one of the finest dessert plums." R. August 17.

7. Guthrie's Late Green, "very good cropper, habit bushy, compact, vigorous, a most delicious dessert plum." R. August 30.

Nos. 2, 5 and 6 are splendid specimens of American plums, No. 7 is Scotch, named after the late Mr Guthrie of Dundee.

The following are well known but not so good in some respects: Bryanston Gage, Oullin's Golden Gage, Golden Transparent. Coe's Golden Drop has been described. Angelina Burdett is sometimes classed with the gages. It is "dark red, shaded with purple, a good cropper, habit bushy and compact, a delicious dessert variety that hangs well in the trees for some time after it is ripe." R. August 22.

MARKET PLUMS

If a planter prefers to grow gages, he must protect his trees from bullfinches and other birds. The former often carry off the buds in winter, and ruin all hopes of a crop. Such a plantation near a wood would usually be a failure. If the trees are washed in early winter with No. II. mixture, the buds will have some protection. Lime should be thrown over the branches on a damp day. The gun in many cases must be at work from dawn to dusk. The gardener must learn to distinguish between friend and foe. Mr Lea's list in "Small Farms in the Midlands" is as follows: Early Prolific, Victoria, Black Diamond ("the wood is remarkably tough"), Pond's Seedling ("tolerably tough"), Pershore Egg Plum, _i.e._ Gisborne ("hardiest of all plums, surest cropper, comes early into bearing, the wood tough, and though the price is low, pays well"). He also mentions Prince Englebert and Jemmy Moore ("alias Cox's Emperor, alias Denbigh"), but wisely adds, these come in about the same time as Victoria, when there is a glut. Early or late varieties usually sell best. A new variety, Bittern, raised (as so many varieties have been) at Sawbridgeworth, by the late Francis Rivers, seems well worth trying: "Fruit rather large, deep purple, very heavy crop, habit bushy, compact, vigorous, excellent early free-bearing variety. R. August 2."

Curlew is another "early free-cropping purple plum, habit erect, vigorous," also raised by Francis Rivers. Monarch is a late, good, and very saleable plum. It is said that 75 per cent. or more of the plums planted in recent years have been Victorias. Planters should avoid the Victoria glut. Pond's Seedling, red and very large, coming in after Victoria, often sells well. Put up in a small basket it is inviting, and sells for an eating though properly a cooking plum. Early Prolific is also largely planted, but does not suit all soils. The white Magnum Bonum or egg plum (very large), good for cooking and preserving, sells well in London, but needs a strong soil. It is an early September fruit. Wyedale is popular in Yorkshire, valuable for its lateness, and for keeping sound on the trees when ripe; its habit is diffuse, size rather small, a good cropper. Mr Pearson names Goliath, a large reddish purple plum, "a good cropper, habit diffuse and vigorous, a very useful cooking plum. R. September 7."

At the Plum Congress held at Edinburgh in September 1889 an election of sorts was made with the following result:--

_Dessert Plums_ Votes. Jefferson 72 Coe's Golden Drop 69 Green Gage 57 Kirke's 57 Early Transparent 25 Oullin's Golden Gage 16 Reine Claude de Bavay 14

_Culinary_ Votes. Victoria 74 Pond's Seedling 54 White Magnum Bonum 52 Early Prolific 40 Goliath 31 Early Orleans 27

The friend who sent me this list remarks: "Newer plums supersede some of these. Czar does not crack with the wet as Orleans does. I prefer Diamond to Goliath." Kirke's is better on a wall than in the open. The same may be said of Oullin's; neither are grand croppers. Reine Claude de Bavay is a late gage, richly flavoured, but not a good cropper.

GATHERING, PACKING, MARKETING

A step ladder or a Heathman's combined ladder is best for gathering as plum wood is often brittle. Look over the trees several times and gather gradually. Fruit for home use should not be gathered until it is ripe, but for market it should not be quite ripe. Early morning when the fruit is cool is the best time. Dessert fruits generally should be handled as little as possible, otherwise the bloom on them and the appearance are spoilt. Plums are often sent away in round baskets, or oblong flat baskets. The former in the London markets are termed sieves or half-sieves. A sieve holds seven imperial gallons; the diameter is 15 inches, the depth 8 inches. Flat baskets with lids protect the fruit from injury. Stout and strong paper, above, below and around, assist in saving it. Oblong baskets with handles and without a lid are used in the Midlands and the N. They are called "pots," and local inquiry as to weight should be made. Strong brown paper is useful on the top. The cost per ream is from 10s. to 20s. But non-returnable boxes are better. The baskets are often missing or lost. The sizes of unplaned boxes with lids to be nailed on are usually as follows:--[10]

Gross. Doz. lbs. Length. Width. Depth. s. d. s. d. 14 10-¾ in. 10-½ in. 6-¼ in. 26 6 2 6 28 22 " 10-¾ " 6-¼ " 46 0 4 2 42 27 " 15 " 8 " 84 0 7 6

--GLOVER.

Choice dessert plums sent in light boxes (one or two layers only in a box) placed in wood-wool, and with tissue paper covering the inside of the box, and lying between each layer, often sell well. White paper-lace (such as is used for honey sections) sets off good fruit, and makes it more attractive. Pink tissue paper is often used for light fruits. The boxes should be uniform in size and quality of fruit as far as possible. Tissue paper can be bought at 2s. 6d. to 5s. or more a ream, and should not be grudged. The best wood-wool ranges from 18s. to 25s. per cwt. A few visits to Covent Garden, the best shops, and the Crystal Palace Fruit Shows, will not be time or labour lost.

Plums and damsons for market should be gathered and sent before they are quite ripe; if soft and pulpy on arrival, they are valueless. Sort in size and quality as even as possible: keep back all inferior stuff. Only good produce, well sorted and properly packed, placed on the market in good condition, is likely to sell well. Foreigners as well as neighbours compete for custom. In large establishments a packing room with every convenience close at hand is necessary.[11] The market-agent should daily advise what goods are needed.

STORING AND KEEPING