214 THE BOOK OF USEFUL PLANTS 



Pacific Slope, the Damsons and Green Gages, for 

 two examples, are from European nurseries, 

 originally. They do poorly in other sections of 

 this country. 



For this reason, horticulturists early began the 

 improvement of our own wild plums: the low 

 beach plum of the Atlantic coast, the Canada, 

 the Chickasaw, the wild red, and the sloes of the 

 Southeast. Each represented a large section of 

 the country, and in the centre the Wild Goose, a 

 natural hybrid appeared, which is the parent of 

 two fine groups of cultivated varieties : the Miner 

 of northern orchards, and the Wayland in the 

 South. So this country is particularly rich in 

 plums. 



Prunes are dried plums. The varieties suitable 

 for drying are sweet and firm-fleshed. The city 

 of Tours is the centre of the prune district of 

 France. California raises quantities of prunes. 



Japan has contributed some fine new varieties 

 to the American plum orchards, some of the largest 

 and finest being grown on the Pacific coast states. 



PEACHES 



First among the members of the stone fruits, by 

 reason of size, lusciousness and flavor, stands the 



