RANGE OF THE NATIVE PLUMS 173 



called "mountain cherry" in parts of Maryland and 

 Virginia. John Smith's language is very similar, and 

 it is probably the source of Strachey's information: 

 "They have cherries, and those are much like a Dam- 

 sen ; but for their tastes and colour, we called them 

 Cherries." The other plum mentioned by Strachey is 

 probably a form of Prunus Americana, or possibly 

 some large -fruited form of the Chickasaw plum. 



The Native Plums in General 



It is not my purpose to make an inquiry into the 

 early records of wild plums, but merely to mention 

 the fact that the colonists were attracted by the fruit, 

 and that they seemed to think it worthy of improve- 

 ment. This improvement did not develop, however, 

 until the present century, and even then it was not 

 the outcome of any direct effort at a definite object, 

 but only the aggregate result of bringing together 

 such wild or chance varieties as attracted the attention 

 of lovers of fruit. It is interesting to notice, also, 

 that these varieties originated or were discovered in 

 parts of the country which were being newly settled. 

 The great territory of New England, New York, Penn- 

 sylvania and Michigan has never produced a variety of 

 native plums which has been named and attained 

 to any prominence. This is partly due to the fact 

 that the wild plums of this great region, while of the 

 same species as those in the tipper Mississippi valley, 

 are less prolific of large-fruited forms than those 

 farther west. It is chiefly due, however, to the cir- 

 cumstance that the European plum thrives admira- 

 bly in this geographical region, and there was, there- 



