The Ctjltivatbd I^Tative Plums and Chebkies. 35 



the late Rollingstone plum, which is a seedling from the Rolling- 

 stone — itself a widling, — but which is three weeks later in, 

 ripening than its parent. 



The fruits of wild forms of Prunus Americana vary widely in 

 season, size, shape, flavor, and character of stone. Trees in the 

 same clump often vary two weeks in season of ripening of fruit, 

 which may vary from dull deep red to yellow. It should he 

 said, however, that there is no true clear yellow fruit in this 

 species. The yellow of P. Americana is always a more or less 

 ill-defined under color, over which are laid blotches of red. The 

 fruits are more or less flattened, as is well shown in Fig. 1, 

 usually oblong and truncate or somewhat flattened at the ends:, 

 and are commonly marked with a distinct suture. All the varie- 

 ties have a light purple bloom. 



The Texan form of P. Americana, known locally as the Hog 

 plum, appears to differ somewhat from the northern forms, and 

 it may be a distinct species. It has the glands, both of calyx 

 and leaf-stalks, of the P. nigra form and the rounded stones of 

 true P. Americana. The plant is not in cultivation, however, 

 and need not be further discussed here. 



Prunus Americana was founded over a century ago by Hum*- 

 phrey Marshall. His description, particularly of Die leaves, ia 

 peculiarly characteristic of the wild plum of the north. It is as 

 follows : 



"Prunus Americana. Large yellow sweet plumb. This gene- 

 rally rises to the height of twelve or fifteen feet, spreading into 

 many stiff branches. The leaves are oblong, oval, acute, pointed, 

 sharply sawed on their edges and much veined. The flowers 

 generally come out very thick round the branches, often upon 

 thick short spurs; and are succeeded by large oval fruit with a 

 sweet succulent pulp. We have a great variety of these, grow- 

 ing naturally in a good moist soil, with reddish and yellowish 

 fruit, but differing much in size, taste and consistence." 



West of the Mississippi there is a form of Prunus Americana 

 with conspicuously pubescent and often glaucous leaves and 

 shoots. This is the variety mollis, a plant which is commonly 



