220 Macfarlanc — The Beach Plum, Viewed 



reddish yellow, till a pure orange or gamboge yellow is 

 reached, which in tint will compare with the finest cultivated 

 plums of the Golden Esperon section. Some of the reddish 

 yellow and yellow types are flecked with faint white specks or 

 blotches, while others are quite uniform. The third line cul- 

 minates in the finest blue-blacks. 



The surface variations thus shown, usually are an index to 

 corresponding variations in color of the pulp. In the black- 

 ish blues, this is of a dull reddish purple hue ; in the bluish 

 purples of a pale greenish red ; in the purplish greens of a 

 light wateiy green, while in the red-yellow series it passes 

 from shades of pale waterj' red to watery yellow. 



The color variations of the stones follow those of the fruits 

 though to a less marked degree. The stones of black-blue 

 fruits are of a purplish red hue when fresh, changing to dull 

 red when dried. Those of the purplish-red fruits are of a 

 faint red or reddish j-ellow hue ; of the red fruits the stones 

 are faint yellow. Finally, the yellow fruits have clean whitish 

 yellow stones. 



(B) Fniit-Wciglit. — Under this head it is possible to 

 introduce exact statistics, and in the subjoined table some of 

 these are grouped, as drawn from study of twelve distinct 

 varieties. The bracketing of these under five groups has 

 reference, more or less, to the color relations already discussed, 

 and it will be seen that one of the first group (No. 7) of a bluish 

 black hue, excels in ever\' detail. The types that are poorest 

 in flesh, and have relatively the heaviest stones are those 

 already alluded to, as of a purplish green color, and which 

 suggest the possession of primiti\-e characters in ever}.' respect. 



Number 1 2 of the table is a remarkable variet)% represented 

 only by three bushes at Cape May Point, that are widely 

 apart from each other. They agreed in being slender bushes, 

 about three and one-half to four feet high, that produced fine 

 twigs clothed with small leaves. The fruits were of small 



