194 THE EVOLUTION OP OUR NATIVE FRUITS 



was William N. White, of Athens, Georgia. In the 

 "Horticulturist" for 1852, he describes the tree and 

 fruit, the latter "either bright red or yellow" and 

 speaks of one variety which ripens nearly a month 

 later than the ordinary forms, the fruit being "nearly 

 free from astringency" and "about the size of Prince's 

 Yellow Gage." In the original edition of his "Gar- 

 dening for the South," 1856, Mr. White also mentions 

 the Chickasaw plum, and adds: "Doubtless many 

 excellent native varieties will be originated from this 

 hardy native fruit. Some are now found almost 

 entirely free from astringency. This plum seems 

 free from curculio, and never fails of a crop." 



The varieties which seem to be the most unmis- 

 takably true Chickasaws, among those which I have 

 studied, are the following : 



African, Arkansas Lombard, Caddo Chief, Coletta, 

 Early Red, El Paso, Hoffman, Jennie Lucus, Lone 

 Star, Newman (Figs. 23, 28), Ogeechee, Pottawatta- 

 mie, Robinson, Schley's Large Red, Transparent or 

 Yellow Transparent. 



The Hortulana Group 



The second group of these southern plums is 

 probably the most important type of native plums 

 now in cultivation. It includes varieties character- 

 ized by strong, wide - spreading growth, and mostly 

 smooth twigs ; a firm, juicy, bright -colored, thin- 

 skinned fruit, which is never flattened ; a clinging, 

 turgid, comparatively small, rough stone, which is 

 sometimes prolonged at the ends, but is never con- 

 spicuously wing -margined, and by comparatively thin 



