226 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



was introduced about 1850 by the late J. S. Downer, of Fairview, Ky. This is the 

 first native plum introduced to general cultivation, although the Miner was first known 

 and named. C. 



The Wild Goose is either very variable or there are two varieties pass- 

 ing under that name. In the orchards of Mr. Kerk, in Maryland, and 

 Mr. MuNSON, in Texas, the flowers appear before the leaves in crowded 

 lateral clusters, but in the plantations at the Michigan Agricultural col- 

 lege and at Cornell, they appear with the leaves in diffuse cherry-like 

 clusters, and the pedicels are longer. These latter specimens are so 

 anomalous as to lead good observers to wonder if they are not hybrids 

 with some cherry. I have not been able to observe any constant differ- 

 ences between these two types in foliage or fruit. I am disposed to 

 regard these peculiarities as variations of one variety due to climate or 

 some other local cause, for I find the same differences in other varieties 

 grown here and in the south, as in Newman, Robinson, and Marianna 

 (Nos. 83, 86 and 92). I have examined a number of seedlings of Wild 

 Goose at Mr. Kerr's, and while they differ from the parent in flavor and 

 shape of fruit, they are much like it in general texture and character of 

 fruit, the stones are singularly alike and the habits of the trees are simi- 

 lar; but in some of them the leaves tend to be irregularly toothed at the 

 margins after the manner of the Wayland class. It should be said that 

 the tree from which these seedlings were grown stood beside a tree of 

 German Prune, but it is not known if these plants will hybridize. 



The range of adaptability of the Wild Goose is great. It is hardy in 

 central New York and southern Michigan, and it succeeds well in Georgia 

 and Texas. The tree resembles a peach tree. 



G2. World Beater. — Large, round-oblong, dark red, skin medium; cling; leaves 

 medium and long-pointed, rather dull, somewhat irregularly serrate, the stalks usually 

 glandular. Very late. Of good quality. Found wild in Tennessee. Introduced by 

 Stark Bros, in 1889. 



The Wild Goose type or group of plums, as a whole, appears to be best 

 sviited to the middle latitudes, being grown with satisfaction from Illinois 

 and Indiana, and the southern part of Michigan and New York to Mary- 

 land, Virginia, and Tennessee, and in the southwest to Texas. The varie- 

 ties which are most highly prized are Golden Beauty, Indian Chief, 

 Missouri, Apricot, Morman, Wayland, and Wild Goose. 



C. The Miner Group. — {Prunus Jioriulanav&r. Mineri). This group 

 includes a few anomalous varieties which appear to be intermediate 

 between Prunus hortulana and P. Americana. They may be an off-shoot 

 of P. hortulana, or it is possible that they constitute a distinct species. 

 The Miner is particularly well marked, but there are others which it is 

 somewhat difficult to separate from P. hortulana. The group differs from 

 the species by the dull and comparatively thick leaves which are conspicu- 

 ously veiny below and irregularly coarsely toothed and more or less 

 obovate in outline; by a late, very firm fruit, and by a more or less smooth 

 and Americana-like stone. Fig 4 is an excellent illustration of the under 

 surface of a leaf of this group, and Fig. 5 shows the general habit. I am 

 not able to designate the rany:e of the wild plant, but it appears to occur in 

 Illinois (and perhaps Indiana), Missouri, Tennessee, and perhaps in 

 Arkansas. 



