274 THE PLUMS OF NEW YORK. 



Marianna originated as a seedling in a mixed orchard belonging to 

 Charles G. Fitze, Marianna, Polk County, Texas; its parentage is unknown. 

 The originator considered it a seedling of Wild Goose, but, it is probably 

 an offspring of DeCaradeuc and, as stated in the foregoing paragraph, 

 undoubtedly a hybrid. In 1884, Charles N. Eley, Smith Point, Texas, 

 introduced the Marianna to fruit-growers; in 1889 it was placed on the 

 fruit catalog list of the American Pomological Society. 



Tree large, vigorous, broad, spreading, open and flat-topped, hardy, unproductive, 

 comparatively free from insects or diseases; trunk rough; branches numerous, usually 

 smooth, but sometimes roughened by the cracking of the bark, thorny, dark ash-gray, 

 with numerous, very large, raised lenticels; branchlets slender, twiggy, with inter- 

 nodes of medium length, green changing to dull reddish-brown, with gray scarf-skin, 

 glabrous, with conspicuous, large, raised lenticels; leaf-buds very small and short, obtuse, 

 appressed. 



Leaves folded upward, elongated-oval, one and one-eighth inches wide, two and 

 five-eighths inches long, thin; upper surface smooth, glabrous, with a shallow groove 

 on the midrib; lower surface pale green, lightly pubescent along the midrib and larger 

 veins; apex and base acute, margin very finely serrate, with small, black or amber glands; 

 petiole slender, three-quarters inch long, pubescent along one side, usually tinged red, 

 glandless or with from one to three very small, globose, greenish-brown glands variable 

 in position. 



Blooming season intermediate in time and length; flowers appearing after the 

 leaves, three-quarters inch across, white; borne in clusters on lateral spurs, in twos 

 or in threes; pedicels three-eighths inch long, slender, glabrous, greenish; calyx-tube 

 green, campanulate, glabrous; calyx-lobes acute, sparingly pubescent, ciliate, erect; 

 petals very small, separated from each other, broadly oval, entire, tapering to narrow 

 claws; anthers yellowish; filaments three-sixteenths inch long; pistil glabrous, equal 

 to the stamens in length. 



Fruit early, season of medium length; one and one-eighth inches or more in 

 diameter, oval or roundish-oval, often not compressed, halves equal; cavity shallow, 

 narrow, abrupt, regular; suture a line; apex roundish or blunt-pointed; color bright, 

 light red changing to darker red, overspread with thin bloom; dots numerous, small, 

 light russet, conspicuous, clustered about the apex; stem slender, five-eighths inch long, 

 glabrous; skin tough, bitter, inclined to crack under unfavorable conditions, parts 

 readily; flesh yellow, tinged red under the skin and next to the stone, unusually juicy, 

 fibrous, watery and melting, sweet next to the skin, but acid near the pit, sprightly; 

 inferior in quality; stone clinging, three-quarters inch by one-half inch in size, elongated- 

 oval, blunt-pointed, surfaces pitted; ventral suture blunt, wide, slightly ridged; dorsal 

 suture widely and deeply grooved. 



