WESTERN NEW YORK HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 467 



Are the Botans and the Abundance plums worthy of attention by ivestern New York 

 grotvers 9 



Mr. Willard: Yes. they deserve attention on the part of all who are experimenting, 

 but I do not recommend them for cultivation on a large scale until more thoroughly 

 tested. " Botan '' is a general name for an assortment. Abundance is one of that 

 family. Burbank, a seedling, is better and more profitable to raise than the others. 

 Yellow Japan, I think, better than all. 



Pres. Barry: To what extent are they grown, and how as to their hardiness? 



Mr. Willard: Hardy on my grounds, having stood, without injury, with the ther- 

 mometer fifteen below zero; and that, too, when the trees had been cut back strongly 

 for buds and had sent out a second growth. They have been found hardy in Michigan. 



Mr. J. S. Woodward: Is not Burbank a " Botan?" 



Mr. Willard: No. They were imported direct from Japan. Prof. Van Deman 

 recommended Burbank to me. He said it was the best because the others bloom a 

 little too early sometimes. I said we didn't often suffer that way at Geneva. He 

 said it bloomed later. I found it just exactly as he stated. In my opinion they are 

 not nearly as liable to the black knot as our European variety. I have seen only one 

 instance, and that very slight. 



Replying to an inquiry as to the tiuality of the fruit, Mr. Willard said with such a 

 great variety of tastes as one found it would be difficult to give an honest expression. 

 He thought them pretty g9od. as good as Lombard. They are reasonably good ship- 

 pers, but need to be handled with care, as they are thin-skinned. 



Mr. Bell: How long have you propagated Abundance? 



Mr. Willard: At random, should say, perhaps, seven or eight years or more from 

 the bud. I think I was the first to attempt the cultivation of any of these plums in 

 western New York. 



Mr. Hooker: Most varieties of Botan plums blossom very early, and consequently 

 are more liable to destruction from frost than any ordinary variety. We lost a crop. 

 We have the Kelsey, Ogon and Abundance ; have found them very hardy ; never saw a 

 twig injured. Some are of fair quality, the Abundance being about as good as Lom- 

 bard ; comes earlier. They are good keepers and good shippers ; but it is too early to 

 recommend them for general planting. Abundance is early and that is its principal 

 value, in addition to which it is of vigorous growth and free from black knot or any 

 disease. 



Mr. Willard: Burbank is not an early plum ; in tine condition about September 10. 

 We have four hundred trees worked over to that variety, and have great faith in them. 



To the question as to the difference between Ogon and the others, Mr. Willard said 

 he would not grow it. 



Mr. Hooker: We have only one tree. 



Being asked about a variety called "Botan 26," Mr. Willard said it was one of a lot 

 of scions he got from San Francisco. It ripens July 15, and rarely fails, but it is the 

 poorest of any in quality ; not so poor as Ogon, but would not commend it. Satsuma is 

 a good plum, and very different from others; purple in skin and meat; late; has not 

 yet been tested, and but little inquiry for it. 



Mr. J. S. Woodward had visited a gentleman in Columbia county who has the 

 largest Japan plum orchard in this state. He took some fruit home and it was in good 

 condition for two weeks. The Japan trees are good bearers and the plums good 

 keepers. The Japan plums possess a good deal of merit. There was another variety, 

 larger than either Burbank or Abundance, but he did not like it so well as those 

 varieties. 



The question was asked, "What is the best soil on which to raise Japan plume?" and 

 Mr. Willard said he thought they would grow on any soil ; he had seen them on sand 

 on the lake shore in northern Michigan. He had some at Geneva on heavy clay and 

 could see no difference. He thought Mr. Burbank of California had produced a lot of 

 seedlings that are going to change the character of plum-growing throughout the 

 country. 



Mr. Henry Lutts said he considered Ogon one of the finest of canning fruits. It 

 was not good out of the hand, but as a market plum there were none that would keep 

 better; will keep three weeks after being picked. The Burbank, with him, last year, 

 was ready for market August 15. They can be shipped green and will get to market 

 in good shape. 



Prof. Bailey thought there was a great deal of confusion about the nomenclature of 

 the Japan plums. There were thirty-four named varieties and a number of unnamed 

 seedlings. The Japanese plums may be classed under three general heads: Sumonio, 

 a small, very early type of round plums, represented by the Berger; Botan, round or 



