COMMUNICATIONS. 



215 



on this wild fruit, and may be a hint to fruit-growers to make 

 experiments with a view to its improvement. Dr. Darlington 

 informs us that it has been improved by long culture, in 

 eastern Pennsylvania, both in size and flavor, the fruit some- 

 times attaining the size of 

 a common apricot ; though 

 it is not probable that any 

 very special efforts were 

 made to produce this result. 

 With the skill of modern 

 fruit culturists, it might, 

 without doubt, be greatly 

 improved. It has the de- 

 cided advantage over the 

 garden varieties of not be- 

 ing attacked by the cur- 

 culio, the pest that destroys 

 the fruit of our finest kinds 

 without mercy. 



The Wild Plum appears 

 to have been f o r m e r ly 

 much cultivated in our 

 country; and from some 

 indications it is probable 

 that several of the Indian 

 tribes may have planted 

 this tree near their villages. 

 The thickets of wild plum 

 trees are usuallv allowed 

 to remain by the first oc- 

 wiLD PLUii. cupants of our new lands ; 



but the introduction of better kinds soon cause them to be 

 abandoned. 



This species was first described very fully and accurately by 

 Humphrey Marshall, of Pennsylvania, in 1785, but has been 

 confounded with others, by some writers. The errors were de- 

 tected as early as 1829, and pointed out by Dr. Darlington, in 



