Salt for Plum Trees

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


The New England Farmer states that it is impossible to cultivate any kind of plums with success in our climate, unless salt enter liberally as an ingredient of the compost for fertilizing the trees. When salt is applied mixed with house ashes, there appears to be no difficulty in producing healthyplum trees. Plum trees should be washed once or twice every year with salt brine, and the ground around the roots should be kept clean and free from grass and weeds. We shall continue the subject of gas-lighting next week, being obliged to pottpone the second article for want of space.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 13 Issue 25This article was published with the title “Salt for Plum Trees” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 13 No. 25 (), p. 197
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican02271858-197e

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American

Subscribe