THE PLUMS OF NEW YORK. 279 



midrib and larger veins; lower surface silvery-green, pubescent; apex and base acute, 

 margin doubly serrate, with a few, small, dark glands; petiole eleven-sixteenths inch 

 long, pubescent, tinged red, glandless or with from one to three small, globose, greenish- 

 brown glands on the stalk or base of the leaf. 



Blooming season early to medium, short; flowers appearing after the leaves, one 

 inch across, white, borne in scattering clusters on lateral spurs, singly or in pairs; ped- 

 icels three-quarters inch long, overspread with fine, short pubescence, greenish; calyx- 

 tube green, campanulate, pubescent at the base; calyx-lobes obtuse, thinly pubescent 

 on both surfaces, glandular-serrate, somewhat reflexed; petals roundish or obovate, 

 entire, with short, abrupt claws; anthers yellowish; filaments five-sixteenths inch long; 

 pistil glabrous, equal to the stamens in length, with a large, pubescent ovary. 



Fruit very late, season long; one and five-eighths inches by one and one-half inches in 

 size, distinctly oval, compressed, halves equal; cavity very shallow, narrow, flattened; 

 suture usually lacking; apex roundish; color varies from light to deep purplish-red, over- 

 spread with thick bloom; dots numerous, small, russet, inconspicuous; stem one inch 

 long, thinly pubescent, adhering well to the fruit; skin thin, slightly sour, separating 

 readily; flesh light yellow, rather juicy, somewhat coarse, firm, sprightly when first 

 mature, becoming sweetish, strongly aromatic, pleasant flavored; very good; stone 

 semi-free or free, one inch by five-eighths inch in size, irregular-oval, with pitted sur- 

 faces, slightly acute at the base and apex; ventral suture narrow, winged, faintly ridged; 

 dorsal suture acute or with a shallow, narrow groove. 



MILLER SUPERB 



Prunus domestica 

 Of the two htindred and more varieties of plums which have fruited 

 on the Station grounds, Miller Superb is one of the finest for dessert. The 

 variety is of the Reine Claude group and is fially up with the best of these 

 plums — all noted for high qttality. In size and appearance, the plums 

 resemble those of the well-known Bavay though usually larger. This plum 

 originated with Colonel Charles Miller of Geneva, New York, when, is not 

 known. About 1889, M. F. Pierson of Stanley, New York, secured cions of 

 the plum from Colonel Miller and named the variety Miller Superb. It 

 has never been introduced and is grown locally only to a very limited 

 extent. Its large size, productiveness and superior quality should recom- 

 mend it strongly for more general cultivation. 



Tree of medium size and vigor, upright-spreading, open-topped, productive; 

 branches rough as they approach the rough trunk; leaf -scars enlarged; leaves flattened, 

 oval, two inches wide, three and three-quarters inches long; margin serrate or crenate, 

 with few, small, dark glands; petiole long, thick, reddish, pubescent, with from one 

 to three glands usually at the base of the leaf; blooming season of medium length; 



