most profitable
variety on our place. While we did not keep an accurate record of the
exact yield in 1913 and 1914, some of the trees produced fully five 16
quart cases in 1913. A fair average would perhaps be about four cases
per tree. In 1914 the crop was somewhat lighter, yielding an average of
three cases per tree. This year we picked and sold eighty-five cases,
which brought us a gross revenue of $79.60. We lost part of the crop on
account of continual rain in the picking season, or we would have had
fully 100 cases. Nine of the trees being in a more sheltered location
than the other ten held their fruit better during the growing season,
and produced a relatively heavier crop than the ten that were exposed to
our fierce winds all summer.

We have never been able to supply the demand for them, at good prices,
while other varieties went begging at any kind of a price. Among their
good qualities with us are productiveness, good size, extra fine quality
and attractive color. They are delicious to eat out of hand just as they
are ripe enough to drop from the tree. They are fine for canning,
preserving or jelly. They are practically curculio proof, and have never
been affected with brown rot as have some other varieties. Aphis never
bothers them, while Terry and some other varieties nearly had the whole
crop ruined by this pest in 1914. The branches form good, strong
shoulders at the trunk and do not split or break down in heavy storms or
under their heavy loads of fruit, as the Terry and Forest Garden do. The
flower buds and fruit form as freely on the new growth as on the old
spurs. The crop is therefore about evenly distributed all over the tree,
and while we picked almost eight cases from one tree this year it did
not appear to be overloaded, as some varieties frequently are, the
Surprise tree always being capable of maturing all the fruit that sets.

We have shipped them 300 miles by freight with perfect success, but we
pick them from the tree before fully ripe. If allowed to ripen on the
tree they drop badly, which bruises and damages them. The trees are
thrifty, vigorous growers with beautiful glossy foliage that can be
distinguished from all other varieties.

You would note on examination of the buds that we have promise of
another crop next year, but this will depend somewhat on the weather
during the blooming season. We attribute one of the reasons for our
success with the Surprise plum to the fact that they