The Cultivated Native Plums and Cherkies. 109 



turgid, sometimes proloiiged at the ends, but is never prominently 

 wing-margined. 



9. The Wild Goose is the best known of the native plums, 

 although its quality is not high. This popularity is due to its pro- 

 ductiveness, earliness, beauty, good shipping qualities and to the 

 circumstance that it wa« early introduced to cultivation. This 

 variety is grown from Iowa, Michigan and New York to Georgia 

 and Texas. 



10. The Wild Goose group of plums, as a whole, is well suited 

 to the middle latitudes. The most prominent members of the 

 group are Golden Beauty, Indian Chief, Missouri Apricot, More- 

 man, Wayland and Wild Goose. 



11. The Miner group differs from the Wild Goose or true 

 Hortulana group by dull and comparatively thick leaves whicli 

 are conspiciously veiny below and irregularly coarsely toothed 

 and more or less obovate in outline, and by a rather late and very 

 firm fruit and a flat and' nearly or quite smooth stone. The varie- 

 ties are all much alike. In a wild state, this form of native plum 

 probably grows from Illinois to Tennessee and Arkansas. 



12. Ten varieties are referred to the Miner group, of which the 

 most prominent is the Miner. This variety was the first native 

 plmu to receive a name from horticulturists. Its history runs 

 back to 1814. Seventy years ago it was known as Old Hickory 

 and General Jackson. Next to the Wild Goose, the Miner is the 

 best knoAvn of the native plums. It is hardy in northern Illinois 

 and is popular in the central and some of the southern States. 



13. The Chickasaw plums are characterized by slender, spread- 

 ing and zigzag growth, comparatively small lanceolate or oblong- 

 lanceolate conduplicate (or trough-like) leaves which are shining 

 and closely and finely serrate, and by an early red or yellow soft, 

 stringy-fleshed fruit, which is more or less dotted, and a clinging 

 broad roughish stone. In a wUd state, the (>hickasa\v ])lum is 

 usually thorny and the thorns persist in a few culdvated varieties. 

 The species grow wild from southern Delaware to Florida and 

 westward to Kansas and Texas. 



14. The most important varieties of Chickasaw plums are Caddo 

 Chief, Jennie Lucas, Lone Star, Newman, Pottawattamie, Robin- 



