THE PLUM IN KANSAS. 109 



popularity is deserved. Ripe in early September or late August. Imported by 

 Luther Burbank in 1884. Named Abundance, and put upon the general market 

 by J. T. Lovett in 1888. The fruit is apt to rot badly in wet seasons, unless well 

 thinned. 



Babcock (Botankio, Botan of some). Medium to large (1.] to I4 in. diam.), 

 round, conical; skin yellow overlaid with purplish red, rather thick; flesh deep 

 orange and solid, a little coarse, sweet, of good flavor and quality ; cling ; rather 

 late, ripening about with the Burbank. Imported in 1885 by Luther Burbank. 

 Now named for Col. E. F. Babcock, a well-known nurseryman of Little Rock, 

 Ark., among the first to grow and recommend. 



Bailey. Large, nearly globular; ground color rich orange, overspread with 

 light and bright cherry- red, and showing many minute orange dots; flesh thick 

 and melting, yellow, of excellent quality : cling. Tree strong and upright, pro- 

 ductive. Closely related to Burbank, but rounder and mostly larger, and a week 

 or more later. Imported by J. L. Normand, Marksville, La., and by him named 

 and introduced in 1891. 



Berckmans (True Sweet Botan, Sweet Botan, White-fleshed Botan, Botan 

 of some). Medium (slightly above if thinned), broadly and obtusely conical and 

 somewhat angular in cross-section ; deep blood-red if ripened in the sun ; flesh 

 very sweet, moderately juicy, excellent in quality; cling or semicling; ripens 

 with Abundance or just ahead of it. One of the best. Introduced by Luther 

 Burbank in 1887, from imported stock. The variety does not appear to be a true 

 Botan, and its nomenclature is so confused and indefinite that I have renamed 

 it for Mr. Berckmans, who has done much to popularize it. 



Berger, Fruit very small and globular; bright, uniform red, with a firm, 

 meaty and sweet yellow flesh, and a very small, free stone, i-ipening as early as 

 the middle of July in some parts of New York and Connecticut. The fruit is 

 very distinct in appearance, and cannot be mistaken for any other Japanese 

 plum which I have seen. T. V. Munson, of Texas, writes as follows of it: "The 

 Berger plum is an upright, cherry-like tree. It bears a purple fruit about the 

 size of the Black Tartarian cherry, with meaty flesh, nearly free stone, which is 

 as small as the pit of the common Black Morello cherry, and much the same 

 shape." Mr. Berckmans says that the "tree is very vigorous and distinct in 

 growth, but a shy bearer. The fruit is too small to be worthy of being retained." 

 What I have seen of this fruit, however, leads me to believe that it may be a 

 useful sort for the home garden because of its earliness, daintiness, and pleasing 

 flavor. Professor Georgeson, to whom I have submitted specimens, pronounces 

 it a Sumomo. 



Burbank. Medium to rather large upon thinned trees, roundish conical form, 

 the point generally blunt; ground color orange-yellow, mostly rather thinly over- 

 laid with red, and showing many yellow dots, often more or less marbled, in the 

 sun becoming rather dense red; flesh firm and meaty, yellow, rich, and sugary; 

 cling. Strongly resembles Abundance both in fruit and tree, but the fruit aver- 

 ages larger and of better quality, rather handsomer in its varied markings, and 

 is from two to four weeks later; exceedingly productive. One of the best of 

 the Japans. Imported by Luther Burbank, Santa Rosa, Cal., late in 1885, and 

 named for him by H. E. Van Deman. 



Chabot. Medium to large, oblong, conical; pink-red in color, with many 

 very fine gold dots; flesh yellow and juicy, rather acid, of, good quality; cling; 

 medium to late in season; very productive. Ripe in this latitude early in Sep- 



