Varieties Of Plums For Massachusetts are discussed as follows by J. F. C. Hyde:

There are many good varieties of this fruit, but for market we should advise the planting of very few sorts. We have found that a large blue plum sells better than a green or even a red one. The public will not buy a delicious Green Gage so quickly as they will the large, showy Bradshaw.

For market purposes, we should name the Bradshaw, which is a large early purple variety, of fair quality, that always sells well, because it is large and handsome, and also because it may be put into our market before the same is supplied from New York and elsewhere. The tree is a thrifty, upright grower and is comparatively free from the black knot.

Smith's Orleans is of good size and showy, covered with a deep purple bloom, and sells well, though only of fair quality.

The Lombard is a well-known fill-basket variety of medium size and fair quality. It is reddish purple in color, and the tree is an enormous bearer. This variety needs to be thinned to secure fruit of good size.

We are inclined to stop here for market sorts, but if a yellow plum were to be added, it would be Prince's Imperial Gage.

For home use we should make a different selection - Green Gage, Washington, Jefferson, Yellow Gage, Reine Claude de Bavay, Lawrence's Favorite, McLaughlin and possibly a few others.

Black-rot and Mildew of grapes can be kept in check by the Bordeaux mixture. Get the materials ready during the winter, buy a spraying pump, and be ready to make an application as soon as the buds swell. A good formula for Bordeaux mixture is as follows: Slake 4 pounds of quick-lime in a little water, and when nearly cool stir it into 22 gallons of water in which 6 pounds of copper sulphate has been dissolved.