Part 6

Plums, as a rule, do not remain good for any length of time after being gathered. They will however last a week or two if laid out in a cool, dark, well constructed place. Slate slabs assist to keep baskets and fruit cool. Some of the late dessert varieties gathered before they are quite ripe, wrapped in paper, will last in a dry place for a long period. Dr Hogg says that "Ickworth Impératrice," a large late dessert variety, if allowed to remain on the tree until it shrivels, then wrapt in silk paper and placed in a dry shelf, will last for many weeks. It is a richly-flavoured plum. The remark is probably true of other late varieties; _e.g._, the lovely Golden Transparent, "a delicious plum grown against a wall, but not a success in the open" (R. September 12), or Reine Claude de Bavay, which is late, but a poor bearer. The Ickworth Impératrice was not tested by the R.H.S., and is not now often grown. Guthrie's late Green, "a most delicious dessert plum and the heaviest cropper here (_i.e._ Chiswick R.H.S.) of all the gages," is probably one of the best sorts for keeping as described above. Angelina Burdett (see gages) "if allowed to hang till it shrivels becomes a perfect sweetmeat" (Hogg).

INSECT ENEMIES

1. APHIDES are often a great trouble. There are three sorts or more, one called the plum aphis. They attack in spring and cause the leaves to curl up, and so check growth. Steep 4 ozs. of quassia chips in a gallon of soft water for twenty-four hours. Dissolve 2 ozs. of soft soap in this mixture, and add to the infusion. Apply by a painter's brush, and carefully wash the under side of the leaves (Rivers). On a larger scale: "Boil 1 lb. of chips in a gallon of water for twenty minutes, strain off the chips and add 38 gallons of water. Put 1 lb. of soft soap in a gallon of water until dissolved, then add to the rest. Apply by a syringe or sprayer. Where the foliage is young follow the spraying by syringing half-an-hour afterwards" (Castle). Tobacco water made as follows is also a good remedy: "Pour soft boiling water at the rate 1 gallon to 2 ozs. of the strongest shag tobacco, allow it to stand till cool. Its efficacy is increased by dissolving 2 ozs. of soft soap in each gallon at the time it is poured on the tobacco" (Wright). This mixture may be applied with some force by the garden engine. The great point is to syringe or paint with one of these remedies as soon as the evil is perceived.

2. RED GRUB is often very injurious. The moth measures about ½ inch across, the caterpillars are pale red, with brown neck and black head. They pierce and drop with the fruit, seek shelter in the bark, where they spin a cocoon and pass the winter. If the trees have been scraped, then washed with a mixture of lime and soot, paraffin and grease (see No. III. pears), or sprayed before the buds open with Bordeaux mixture (see No. II.), and also afterwards, they probably will not suffer. Lime and soot scattered over the ground under the trees will also be useful. If the plums are attacked, collect all fallen fruits and shake the trees every morning, burn the fruits affected or give them to the pigs.

3. The PLUM SAWFLY also attacks the fruit, laying an egg in the calyx of each flower. The grub is whitish, with brown head. It enters the fruits, feeds on the stone, and causes them to drop. A spraying of the modified mixture No. II. after the fruit has set would be useful, but as the grub pupates in the soil, lime and soot will again be serviceable. Collect and destroy fallen fruit daily.

4. RED SPIDER, a spinning mite, is a great pest in dry summers. It must be checked by the free use of the syringe or water engine as soon as seen. Yellow spots on the leaves are a proof of its presence. Mix 4 gallons of soft soap solution with ½ lb. of flowers of sulphur; apply with syringe. Strong soap-suds, or even clear water forcibly given are better than nothing.

FUNGOID ATTACKS injure the trees. The Bordeaux mixture (No. II.) is the best preventive and remedy if there are any signs of fungus. Cut away all diseased twigs, boughs and branches, and burn them. Fungus spores are scattered by the wind and spread the disease. Drench the trunk and bark in winter with this mixture before the buds swell. Care must be taken not to apply the mixture in full strength to tender leaves and buds.

For the fungus mildew, half an ounce of sulphide of potassium mixed in a gallon of water and applied by a syringe is recommended (Wright). Finely-powdered quick-lime mixed with sulphur (double the quantity of the former), and distributed by a special bellows (see before, page 39), is also said to be a good remedy.

ORCHARD HOUSE

For dimensions see under pears. Plums are best in pots or tubs, as they can be taken out when at rest. They are very liable to attacks from aphides, but the insecticide for pears in pots is good also for plums. The house must be fumigated, and the trees syringed on the least appearance of aphis. Place the pots on bricks (_v._ pears). When growth is being started the temperature should be from 45° at night to 50° by day. Soft or tepid water should be given freely. Fumigate again just before the flowers come out. As the buds increase, raise the temperature 5° to 10° and syringe once or twice a day with tepid water. But a dry atmosphere is important while the trees are in flower. Admit air as well as bees in the forenoon, and pass a camel-hair or light brush over the flowers about the middle of the day. When the fruit is set, syringe at least once a day; if the weather is hot, twice or even three times a day, and give all the air possible. Thin the fruits (if the crop is large) with scissors; mulch and feed with weak liquid manure (see pears). The shoots must be pinched if the trees are of any age, at the fifth or sixth leaf. Not much heat is needed generally, but when the stoning period is passed, the ripening process may be hastened by a higher temperature. The house may be closed at an earlier hour if necessary. Avoid extremes. As the fruits ripen, cease gradually to syringe, but keep the house moist by sprinkling water over the paths, etc. Choose the choicest dessert sorts: Early Transparent, Dennistoun's Superb, July Greengage, Jefferson, Count Althann, Coe's Golden Drop, Guthrie's Late Green, Angelina Burdett, Bryanstone Gage, and Golden Transparent; and if darker colours are desired: Early Prolific, Belgian Purple and Czar. Bryanston Gage was recommended by the R.H.S. in 1892, and is a very richly-flavoured dessert variety, but is not a good cropper in the open, and needs a wall or house.

DAMSONS

are often very valuable, and also make good outside hedges. Bradley's "King of the Damsons" is the best. The fruit is large, the tree "free-cropping, bushy, vigorous, erect." R. September 20. Frogmore Prolific (earlier) is also large and free-bearing. R. September 9. Both these are late. Mirabelle and Rivers' Early Damson are August damsons, small, the former vigorous.

BULLACES

Shepherd's is the best, and hangs late on the tree. A few trees in a large garden are useful. R. September 20.

IMPORTANT POINTS

Good sorts on suitable stocks in good soil and proper aspect; lime in the soil, added or otherwise; winter washing or spraying; thinning fruit; early training; moderate pruning; root-pruning in very strong soils; lifting in shallow soils; liquid and other manures; immediate action if aphides or red spider appear.

DRYING BY EVAPORATION

This important subject cannot be treated here at length. In a hot season with abundant crops, good results may be obtained with some prospect of profit. But the apparatus has been expensive. Mr Udale's Report to the Worcestershire _C.C._ on dried fruits, vegetables and herbs, with the article in _Journal of R.H.S._, vol. xxvi., part ii., should be consulted, and "Fruit Preserving," by R.L.C., in Watson, vol. v. Thick-skinned plums, _e.g._, Czar, Prince Englebert, Diamond and Monarch are best for the purpose. Plums placed on trays, dried in a very slow oven, and allowed to cool several times, are often equal to French prunes.

BOTTLING

This is a simple and most useful process. Plums well bottled will last for years. Gather clean and dry fruit before it is quite ripe, that the heat may not crack the plums. Remove the stalks and pack closely in bottles not over 11 inches high, without bruising, up to shoulder of bottle. Provide a boiler a foot deep; place hay or canvas at the bottom, then put the bottles in the boiler with hay or canvas around them to prevent fracture. Now fill the boiler up to the necks of the bottles, and place it on a slow fire. Heat very gradually until the water is at boiling point. Then take each bottle out with a cloth, fill with boiling water kept close at hand, and cover _while boiling_ with air-tight stoppers. Another method is to fill the bottles nearly full with cold water or thin syrup, and boil for fifteen minutes. Messrs De Luca have received silver and bronze medals from the R.H.S. for self-closing bottles now sold by Messrs Abbott of Southall, near London. Their method is as follows: "Pour in water or cold thin syrup (one tablespoonful of crystalised cane-sugar to the pint) sufficient to cover the fruit. Adjust the indiarubber in the groove made for it on neck of the bottle, place the disc on it, and _lightly_ screw down the outer ring. (Steam must be allowed to escape.) Boil as before for twenty minutes; take out each bottle, and at once screw the outer ring as tightly as possible. Leave bottles until cold. Next day examine by unscrewing the outer ring, and try whether the disc is firmly fastened down. If so, replace the ring, screw down tightly and store away in a cool place, standing them upright. The bottles by having new discs and indiarubber rings may be frequently used."

The Rev. W. Wilks, secretary of the R.H.S., recommends pears, especially Pitmaston D., as suitable for bottling. "Bottled it is delicious." He thinks fifteen minutes from the time the water boils sufficient for plums. Messrs De Luca mention an hour as the time for pears.

Messrs Lee & Co. of 19 Knightrider St., Maidstone, have received medals from the R.H.S. and others for their fruit bottling apparatus and bottled fruit.

They supply a patent economic fruit bottling apparatus at 21s. A thermometer at the side records the temperature of the bottles and of their contents. The following is the method given in the _Journal of the R.H.S._

"The fruit must, of course, be fresh and good and the bottles clean. The fruit is first packed into the bottles, which are then filled up to the neck with cold water, or if preferred, with thin syrup made by dissolving ½ lb. of loaf-sugar in hot water and leaving it to cool. The bottles are then put into the cooking pot where they must remain for certainly not less than two hours at a temperature of between a minimum of 145 degrees and a maximum of 160 degrees. This low sterilising temperature being maintained for two, three, or four hours will destroy all germs without cooking the fruit, and is the great secret of successful bottling. No actual harm is done by the heat rising above 160 degrees, but if it does the fruit will probably burst, lose its shape, and not look so nice. Vegetables may be preserved in exactly the same way, but they must be done twice over with an interval of twenty-four hours to allow of their becoming quite cold. Jams and fruit jellies can be preserved fresh and good for years in the same way."

Success in bottling and preserving fruit depends chiefly on two points: (1) The destruction of every germ of mildew, etc., by keeping the bottles at a certain temperature for a certain time; (2) the absolute prevention of any possible re-entry of air into the bottles afterwards. The bottles must be hermetically sealed while in the steam or standing in almost boiling water (see _Journal R.H.S._, vol. xxvi. part iii. p. 365).

BOTTLING OR CANNING IN SYRUP.--This is done by boiling together at the rate of 3 lbs. of cane-sugar to 1 quart of water and the white of 1 egg; pour the fruit whole into the syrup while boiling, and continue to boil together for only a few minutes, then pour into bottles or cans, and stopper or seal air-tight immediately whilst boiling. Pears may be preserved in the same way. Cheal, _Journal of R.H.S._, vol. xxi. 1.

PLUM JAM makes a rich preserve. Take equal quantities of fruit and cane-sugar; boil quickly half to three-quarters of an hour, then put into hot jars and cover well at once. Exclude the air as much as possible. The colour of the flesh is said to make a difference in the sale. Red jam is usually preferred, but greengage is also popular. Coe's Golden Drop or Autumn Compôte (September, hardy, fairly productive, but the fruit often splits) are good for yellow ("Amber"--Dr Hogg) jam; Belle de Septembre (September, "a good late cooking variety," good bearer, but fruit prone to split) for crimson colour. Free-stones are better than cling-stones. The following are free-stones: Bittern, Coe's Late Red ("fruit small, good bearer, a very useful late cooking plum"), Early Orleans, Early Transparent Gage, Old Greengage, Orleans, Oullin's Golden Gage, Red Magnum Bonum, Comte d'Althann, Victoria. The following are nearly so: Early Prolific, Czar, Cox's Emperor, Jefferson.

Belle de Septembre is a cling-stone. Damsons make good jam, the colour being a dark rich red.

PLUM JELLY

Plums are rich in "vegetable jelly." 1. Boil alone for half-an-hour, then strain the juice through a fine sieve or cloth; add 2 lbs. of cane-sugar to each quart of juice, boil again for twenty minutes, pour into jars and glasses, cover at once. A firm, clear and bright jelly should result (Watson).

2. "During the preserving season I generally have a few pots of jelly made from each pan of preserves without spoiling my jams. I make currant, gooseberry, and plum jelly this way.

"For all common preserves I allow ¾ of a pound of loaf-sugar to each pound of fruit. The sugar must be broken small. Put the fruit and sugar into your pan, let the sugar melt, then boil quickly for twenty to thirty minutes. Skim carefully, take the pan off the fire, take from it three or four cupfuls of juice, or as much as you think can be spared without making your jam dry. Strain the juice through a small gravy sieve into small jars. This will be found to jelly well. In this way a nice stock of jelly can be procured, and no fruit is wasted." (From Weldon's "Menu Cookery Book," 1s., published by Weldon, 31 Southampton Street, Strand.)

FOOTNOTES:

[9] The dates refer to the time when the fruits were "ready" (ripe, fit for gathering) at the Chiswick Garden of the R.H.S.

[10] From Watson, vol. v. p. 369.

[11] For many useful details see Watson, vol. v.

CHERRIES

It is useless to plant cherries unless the fruit can be protected from the birds. The cost of "keeping" a few trees would absorb all profit. In planting for sale, select two or three varieties only; and these should come in together, if possible, to lessen the cost of "keep." They should be intermingled, for reasons already mentioned (see pears, p. 12).

Cherries like a deep, mellow, and rather sandy soil, but they also thrive on a good loam lying on chalk. Stiff moist soils and dry gravelly soils are not suitable. The trees require much moisture, especially sorts with large leaves, such as the Bigarreau and Heart Cherries. Plant varieties to suit the soil. Inquire carefully what sorts do best in your neighbourhood. Cherries do well in open ground, not shaded nor in a valley. They prefer a south aspect, but Morellos thrive on a north wall. Kentish and Late Duke might also be tried there. Plant as you would pears or plums. Protect your trees from rabbits by wire, and from cattle by "cradles," 6 feet high at least,[12] or iron guards. Cattle fed on cake are useful in cherry orchards, and improve the produce.

CHERRIES FOR EATING, recommended by R.H.S. in 1892, are:--

_a._ DUKES.--(1) _May Duke_, dark red and early; (2) _Archduke_ (large blackish red), mid-season, both tender-skinned, and so beloved by birds. Both are close growers.

_b._ YELLOW-FRUITED (_i.e._ White Heart or Bigarreau).--(1) _Elton_, very early, good on heavy soil, tree spreading; (2) _Kent Bigarreau_, early, large, hardy, makes a large tree, best for general crop.

_c._ BLACK-FRUITED.--(1) _Black Eagle_, very large, travels well, free grower, mid-season; (2) _Early Rivers_, first-rate, earliest black, a good cropper and grower.

COOKING CHERRIES.--(1) _Kentish_, bright red, mid-season, a compact grower, best for jam; (2) _Morello_, very late, only fit for wall, fence, or bush.

Other good sorts are _Governor Wood_ (mottled red, early) and _Black Tartarian_, a strong grower, fruit large, late. _Florence_ is very large and late, succeeding the Bigarreau, but requires a warm soil and aspect.

Where there is no wall, Morellos and other sorts should be planted as bushes in a garden 5 or 6 feet apart. They should be covered with nets when the fruit is colouring. Morellos last a long while on a north wall, protected by a net. These are often in great demand, and in a plantation succeed as standards. But the cost of "keeping" for a long time would be excessive.

PRUNING AND TRAINING

Allow the trees to grow a year before pruning them. Then cut back the branches to about 1 foot in length to an outer eye; the Bigarreau to 15 inches. Encourage two shoots from each branch, one at the end, the other 3 inches from the stem, and on the outside. Thus the branches will not grow into each other. Maintain the chief branches at nearly equal length for some years. Standards do not require much pruning. Cut back in summer (July) all shoots crowding the tree or threatening to cross others. In winter look over the trees again. Keep the trees open to sun and air. Cherries on wall should be on the fan system, and pinched back in July. The branches should be 9 inches apart for Duke Cherries, 12 for Bigarreau. If trained horizontally or as espaliers, shorten the shoots on the upper branches a week or two before those on the lower. Keep the shoots near the wall. When sufficient main branches are formed to cover the wall, do not cut back the leaders again. Be sparing with the knife. After two or three years fruit spurs will form, but not much surplus wood. Morellos require special treatment. The fruit is usually found on the wood of the previous year. Train young shoots in to replace the old, and cut out, when the fruit is off, all the old that can be spared. In standards, pyramids and bushes, thin out the branches.

APHIDES are the chief enemy, especially on walls. Syringe with tobacco water made by pouring 1 gallon of soft boiling water on 2 ozs. of strong shag tobacco; add 2 ozs. of soft soap to the water when poured on the tobacco. Strain off and use cold. This solution is also good against the pear slug-worm, which attacks cherries as well as pears. Follow this prescription by a good syringing of cold water the following morning. The roots of cherries are near the surface so that the ground above them must not be dug.

STANDARDS

in strong soil should be 30 feet apart, 24 feet in lighter ground. They are best on grass which is used for pasture. The trees then should be 30 feet from each other. The Kentish Red are sometimes 15 or 18 feet only. Between standards at 24 feet apart bush trees of various kinds may be planted (apples, pears, plums), the two former on dwarfing stocks; there should be two between each standard 8 feet apart.

Ordinary manure is not often given. It may cause rank growth. Dr Griffiths recommends the following artificials: 3 parts weight of kainit, 2 parts of superphosphate, 1 part of nitrate of soda. Three lbs. of this mixture should be applied to each tree shortly before active growth begins. If the land is deficient in lime or chalk some should be given to each tree.

W. C. (in Watson): "Superphosphate of lime, 5 lbs., sulphate of potash, 2 lbs., sulphate of magnesia, ½ lb., chloride of soda, ½ lb. Apply during mild weather in February at the rate of 4 ozs. to the square yard of border, or the full quantity 8 lbs. to each rod of orchard ground."

Gather fruit dry before it is quite ripe. Cherries are usually sent to market in baskets which contain 24 lbs. nett; very choice fruit in 12 lb. baskets.

The word cherry comes from the old English cheri, chiri, and that probably from the French cerise, that from the Latin cerasus, and that from the Greek kerasos. "Cheri or chiri was a corruption of cheris or chiris, the final _s_ being mistaken for the plural inflection; the same mistake occurs in several other words, notably in pea as shortened from pease, Latin pisum" (Skeat).

FOOTNOTE:

[12] Cradles in Kent are often made of chestnut wood split, and last as long as they are needed. For form see pears, p. 7.

THE MULBERRY