THE PLUM IN KANSAS. 101 



nral affinities of the varieties, may produce the most disastrous result 

 for the horticulturist. 



Other species of Pnimcs observed show these characteristics of P. 

 americana, and it may be possible to bring them together under a 

 similar classification. 



Finally, we have gained some knowledge in the summary produc- 

 tion of hybrids. 



THE JAPANESE PLUMS IN NORTH AMERICA. 



Bj' Prof. L. H. Bailey, Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y. 



In 1870 Mr. Hough, of Vacaville, Cal., secured several plum 

 trees from Japan through Mr. Bridges, a United States consul in that 

 country, at a cost of ten dollars each. These trees soon passed into 

 the hands of the late John Kelsey, of Berkeley, Cal., who obtained 

 the first ripe fruit in 1876 or 1877. Mr. Kelsey became convinced 

 of the value of the plum for general cultivation, and its propa- 

 gation upon an extensive scale was begun in 1883 by W. P. Ham- 

 mond & Co., of Oakland, who afterwards named it in memory of Mr. 

 Kelsey, and who made large sales in the planting season of 1884. 

 Subsequently other parties, particularly Luther Burbank, of Santa 

 Rosa, Cal., made importations of plum trees from Japan, and have 

 disseminated the varieties widely. For the past four or five years 

 these plums have awakened more interest throughout the country 

 than any other new or recent type of fruits ; and it has been found, 

 contrary to the early opinion, that many of them are adapted to the 

 Northern states. While they are often inferior in quality to the best 

 garden or Domestica* plums, they possess various desirable charac- 

 teristics which the others do not, particularly great vigor and pro- 

 ductiveness of tree, comparative freedom from disease, great beauty, 

 and long-keeping qualities ; and the best of them compare well in 

 quality with the common plums. 



For many years after the introduction of the Kelsey, there seems 

 to have been little speculation as to the origin or botanical position 

 of these oriental i3lums ; but as the varieties increased and began to at- 

 tract general attention, a demand arose for a knowledge of their gene- 

 sis. A plum found in the botanic gardens at Calcutta about seventy 

 years ago by Roxburgh, and by him named P. triflora, seemed the most 

 likely parent ; but as there were some diflSculties in his characteriza- 



* The term Domestica plums is used to distinguish the common cultivated 

 plunis, all of which have sprung from the European /'. donKnticd, from the 

 native and Japanese tj'pes. The term Japanese plum is used only for these varie- 

 ties of P. iri flora now under consideration, and does not include the Bungo or 

 Bongoume types, which are apricots. 



