.14 BuivLETIN 62. 



are found in a great variety of colors, and that hattankio referred 

 to the resemblance in shape to the almond. But as already re- 

 marked, these names are used very loosely, as it is an easy matter 

 to find several evidently quite distinct varieties of each class for 

 which both grower and dealer can give you no other name than 

 botankio or hattankio, as the case may be. Sometimes . again 

 these terms may have a prefix indicative of the color, or size, or 

 of the place where it is grown." ^ 



There are various colors in each of these classes of plums, from 

 deep purple to light red, yellow and nearly white. The Hattan- 

 kio class seems to be the commonest in this country, being repre- 

 sented by the Kelsey, Burbank, Satsuma, Abundance, Berckmans, 

 Normand, Kerr. The accompanying illustration of the Shiro (or 

 White) Hattankio, made in Japan under Professor Georgeson's 

 • supervision, represents the typical characters of the class, and 

 .affords at the same time an admirable botanical characterization 

 of Prunus triflora. The Botans are represented here chiefly by 

 Ogon and Willard ; while the Sumomos seem to be known only 

 in the little cherry-like Berger, shown natural size upon the cover, 

 and which passes under a variety of names. The Japanese plums 

 might be divided into two general groups upon the color of the 

 flesh — the yellow-fleshed and the red-fleshed or Satsumas, but 

 this classification would serve little purpose, although the Satsu- 

 mas seem to be recognized as a class b}^ my Japanese correspondents. 

 Professor Tamari, of Tokio, makes a somewhat different appli- 

 cation of these terms, although he is less specific in explanation 

 of them. If I understand him correctly,* he uses Smomo as a 

 generic term for plum. There are then three classes of plums, as 

 follows : 



I. Hatankio. Habit and growth slender, the young branches 

 ; straight and erect, leaves large and long and of light color ; fruit 

 not sour but rather bitter when young, f freestone, never colored 

 in skin or flesh, but the skin becomes yellowish green and after- 

 wards slightly tinted with purple-red. Kelsey plum is cited as an 

 . example. 



*Proc. 1 6th meeting Ga. Hort. Soc. (1891), 45. 



t It should be said that the Japanese use green fruits of plums and apricots 

 for eating. 



