BUFFALO BERRY. 



253 



is said to be very palatable. It is not only a productive fruit 

 plant, but a clean, strong growing shrub, and well adapted to 

 severe locations on the lawn. The fruit ripens in the latter part 

 of July and first of August. It seems to be much more like a 

 plum than a cherry, and perhaps the name sand plum would be 

 more appropriate for it. 



Propagation. It grows freely from seed, which should be 

 sown as soon as ripe and not be allowed to get dry. Seedlings 

 vary much, and selected plants should be grown in other ways. 

 They fruit in about three years from seed. In many sections 

 the wild plants may be dug and transplanted to the garden. 

 Plants may be .increased by layers, suckers and root cuttings, 

 and by budding and grafting on the sand cherry or the native 

 plum. The easiest way to increase them is by cutting the roots 

 around the plants about eight inches away from the main stem 

 sometime when the plant is dormant, and all the cut surfaces 

 will sprout and form new plants. If the roots are cut into 

 pieces about six inches long and these treated like willow cut- 

 tings, they will grow nearly as readily. When budded on the 

 plum, peculiar-looking, interesting trees are formed, which are 

 quite fruitful. The plum may also be worked on the sand cher- 

 ry and it forms a good union, but the roots are so flexible that 

 the trees are liable to blow over unless the union is set very 



deep. The common cherry 

 does not take freely on it. 

 At present only seedlings 

 are offered by nurserymen, 

 there having been no nam- 

 ed kinds introducd. 



A form of this, called 

 the Dwarf Rocky Mountain 

 cherry, has recently been 

 sent out from Colorado, 

 but has not been suffi- 

 ciently tried to warrant 

 conclusions as to its value 

 here. It is, however, ex- 

 tremely doubtful whether 

 Fig. 114. Buffalo berry. Flowers, 

 ft. Pistillate, b. Staminate. It is any better than 



