278 THE PLUMS OF NEW YORK. 



MIDDLEBURG 



Prunus domestica 



I. W. N. Y. Hort. Soc. Rpt. 31:60. 1886. 2. Mich. Hort. Soc. Rpt. 288. 1889. 3. Cornell Sta. 

 Bui. isiuSg. 1897. 4. Ont. Fr. Exp. Sta. Rpt. ii(). 1898. 5. Mich. Sta. Bui. 169:242, 246. 1899. 

 Ibid. 187:77, 79. 1901. 



Middleburgh i. 



It i? somewhat remarkable that so good a plum as Middleburg should 

 have so long escaped the attention of fruit-growers and even of pomolo- 

 gists. Not even Downing has recorded it, though he lived not more than 

 a hundred miles from the place of its origin, which must have taken place 

 in his time. The fruits may be sirrpassed somewhat by other purple plums 

 in appearance but few of them are better in quality, either for dessert or 

 for cooking. It is especially valuable too, because it ripens late, hangs well 

 to the tree and ships and keeps well, in the latter respect equalling the best 

 of the prunes. Out of a collection of about three htmdred sorts on the 

 Station grounds, this would undoubtedly be chosen as the favorite purple 

 plum of its season. The trees, while of only medium size, are robust, healthy, 

 hardy and usually productive. In Schoharie County, eastern New. York, 

 where this variety originated and has long been gro\\^l, black -knot is 

 ustiallv epidemic and Middleburg and Palatine are said to be the sorts 

 most free from the disease — so free that neither is much troubled by it. 

 From its behavior here it is certain that, belying the looks of either fruit 

 or tree, Middleburg will improve upon acquaintance and that when well 

 known it will be wanted in home collections at least and more than hkely 

 some commercial fruit-growers will find it profitable. 



Middleburg came from Middleburg, Schoharie County, New York, 

 where it was found as a chance seedling. Mr. S. D. Willard, of Geneva, 

 first called attention to the variety in 1886 at a meeting of the Western 

 New York Hortcultural Society. Its origin is much older than the date 

 given, as it has been extensively grown in Schoharie County for a half- 

 century or more. 



Tree above medium in size, vigorous, round and open-topped hardy, productive; 

 branches ash-gray, smooth, with small lenticels; branchlets of medium thickness and 

 length, with long intemodes, greenish-red, changing to brownish-red, overspread with 

 light bloom, dull, somewhat pubescent, with few, inconspicuous, small lenticels; leaf- 

 buds of medium size and length, pointed, appressed. 



Leaves folded upward, oval, one and one-half inches wide, three and one-half inches 

 long, rather thick, stiff; upper surface dark green, sparingly pubescent on the grooved 



