A STUDY IN PLANT VARIATION 



245 



until the latter part of September when the best varieties have fallen. 

 There is, however, a variety of the small purple, which does not mature 

 all its fruits until frost overtakes it early in October. 



It is interesting to note that the fruits remain upon the bushes about 

 three weeks after they have ripened, a much longer time than we find 

 among our cultivated varieties. Likewise, it may be of interest to know 

 that one rarely finds any of the fruits rotting on the bushes; and after 

 they have fallen, the fruits, if not carried away by birds, or other animals 

 that distribute fleshy fruits, are palatable for another week, after which 

 the pulp cells begin to disintegrate, but the leathery skin prevents 

 them from rotting until they finally dry into a shrunken shriveled mass. 

 The fruit is sub-globose or slightly oval. The skin is tough and leathery, 

 of a blue, purple, red or yellow color, covered with a light waxen bloom, 

 and flecked with numerous small light-colored spots. The flesh is of 

 a watery yellow color, juicy, astringent and in most varieties decidedly 

 free from the stone. The stone is rounded or flattened, pointed at both 

 ends, rigid on the ventral, and sHghtly grooved on the dorsal suture. 

 The taste depends largely upon the presence or absence of the tannin 

 content. Sugar is evidently distributed throughout the pulp, while 

 tannin is deposited in a layer just beneath the skin. Mucilage is 

 very abundant, and is contained in ducts or canals imbedded in the 

 pulp. The yellow fruits seem to be rather free from the tannin and 

 consequently do not have a sharp, astringent taste. That they vary 

 in size is shown from the following table. 



VARIETY 



Large Blue 



Small Blue (1)... 

 (2)... 



Large Purple 



Small Purple (1) 

 (2) 



Large Red 



Small Red 



Large Yellow 



Small Yellow 



DIMENSIONS 



1.7 X 1.6 cms. 

 L5 X 1.4 

 L2 X 1.3 

 1.7 X 1.6 



1.3 X 1.2 

 .9 X 1.0 



1.6 X 1.5 



1.4 X 1.3 



1.7 X 1.6 

 1.4 X 1.3 



The length of the stem, as shown above, is quite variable, and while 

 it is not constant and does not seem to explain much, yet it serves to 

 show the great variation which this plant exhibits. Small Purple 

 (2) noted in the table above illustrates the variety which does not ripen 

 until October. 



