EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. | 247 



growth, the trees are smaller and the leaves are small, lanceolate or oblong 

 lanceolate, closely serrate, shining, and generally folded together or trough- 

 like in appearance. The twigs are red and bear, on spurs upon the old 

 wood, dense clusters of small flowers, quite early in the season. The fruit 

 is small, generally red, and more or less spotted ; the " flesh is soft, juicy, and 

 more or less stringy and very tightly adherent to the small, broad, rough - 

 ish stone." The small-leaved type of the Wild Goose group greatly resem- 

 ble some of the varieties of the Chickasaw. Even in a cultivated state 

 some of the varieties are quite thorny. Several of the Texas varieties are 

 lacking in hardiness. Among the best of the Chickasaws are Newman,. 

 Pottawatamie and Robinson. 



E. Marianna Group. — In this class were placed the Marianna and De 

 Caradeuc, both of which have originated from the Myrobalan plums, the 

 former as a hybrid with some native sort and the disseminator of the De 

 Caradeuc whose name it bore believed it also to be of hybrid origin. 



The DeCaradeuc is a valuable plum in some localities. 



The Marianna was highly recommended as an early market plum when 

 it was sent out, but its principal value is as a stock for other plums. It grows 

 readily from cuttings and it has all of the good features of the Myrobalan 

 and none of its bad ones when used for that purpose. 



Many of the American varieties are incapable of fertilizing them- 

 selves. It has been particularly noticed with such well-known sorts as the 

 Wild Goose and Miner, and from their failure to bear fruit the whole class 

 has been condemned. When planted in alternate rows with some good 

 pollenizers they will be found almost sure bearers. However, it must be 

 stated that for nearly all sections of Michigan, the much more desirable 

 European sorts can be grown to such perfection that there is but little 

 occasion for the planting of American varieties. 



JAPANESE PLUMS. 



Within the last ten years quite a number of varieties have been brought 

 into notice that have come from Japanese species. Most of them have 

 been traced to Primus Mume, either directly or as hybrids between that 

 and some other species. One of the first of this class was the Kelsey, 

 which is a large, fine plum in the south, but it is not sufficiently hardy 

 for successful planting in Michigan. Under the name of Botan an 

 extremely hardy race of plums has been introduced. It includes both red 

 and yellow varieties and the much-lauded Abundance plum is sometimes, 

 and properly, called Sweet Botan. It is quite hardy, very productive, and 

 although the fruits are not large it is a quite desirable early plum. 



The Burbank and other seedlings originated and sent out by Luther 

 Burbank of California have been planted in portions of the state where the 

 climate is tempered by lake Michigan, and they seem hardy there, but it is 

 too soon to judge of their value, although they are very promising varieties. 



The Satsuma is another variety of Japanese origin. It starts into 

 growth very early and it is probable that it will be tender except in 

 protected locations. 



