6 Plums and Plum Culture 



dents, considering the natural complications presented 

 by the plums themselves. 



This method might be termed the group or type 

 method, because it collects the varieties into natural 

 groups according to the more striking types which 

 they present. As these types are the same ones 

 sought out by the botanist, it follows that our horticul- 

 tural groups of varieties among plums correspond 

 almost exactly to the botanical groups. Our pomo- 

 logical classification is founded directly upon botanical 

 classification. This group method was given its first 

 impetus by Professor Bailey when he used it in his 

 Bulletin 38, in 1892. Since then it has been followed 

 by everyone, including all the leading nurserymen, and 

 the classification originally proposed has been devel- 

 oped and slightly — but only slightly — modified to 

 agree with our advancing knowledge of plums. The 

 same method of classification is followed in this book.' 



The application in this book of the notions of 

 description, nomenclature and classification here set 

 forth has been as exact as circumstances would permit. 

 Taking up these points in the reverse order, the author 

 may call attention to the fact that he has given special 

 attention to the study of plum classification for several 

 years past and has published a number of articles on 

 the subject. The matter of nomenclature has likewise 

 engaged his personal attention, and he was a member 

 of the committee which drafted the Lazy Club rules. 

 The descriptions given in this book are for the most 

 part made by the author from specimens. In most 

 doubtful cases great pains have been taken to secure 

 authentic material and to compare specimens from one 

 locality with those from another. In a few cases 

 descriptions have been furnished by friends and corre- 

 spondents. A small number of descriptions of old and 

 rare varieties in the Domestica group have been 



